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Sometimes a customer will ask me something personal. Depending on the overall vibes I am picking up from the person, I will decide how to answer or dodge the question. Today, a customer asked me my clothing size. She said, "What size do you wear?" Then, she guessed a size. First of all, I didn't know what article of clothing she was asking about, since everything is sized uniquely. I mean did she want my shirt size, my pant size, my dress size, what? I don't ever wear dresses, so I am not really sure you could say I have a dress size. Anyway, not wanting to tell her any size of clothing I wear, I decided to tell her my height and weight, even though this seemed personal too. She misunderstood my weight, and so then I had to say it again. All the while, I'm wondering why she needs to know any of this.

When I answer the phone at work, a lot of times I will answer a question, and then the person will ask my name. I don't know why exactly, but this is very annoying to me. I think there have been times I've called businesses with questions, and I get the person's name, as though this authenticates what the person has told me.

I guess when I get asked my own name, it just feels like that person is going to hold me personally to anything I say on the phone. Plus, a person might misquote me, and then I will get in trouble for telling someone something that I didn't even say. So, anyway, I don't like saying my name. I want to say something clever with an accent like, "This Penelope. Penelope Cruz. But, I am not the actress Penelope Cruz, I just think I talk like her. However, I am not sure I have ever even heard her speak. My full name is Penelope Cruz Mountain, because I am married to Mr. Mountain. His name is Juan Big Mountain." I mean, I guess I'm saying I want to ramble and be silly, though I know that is not what the person is expecting.

Uuaully, if someone has called with a question, it's when there are other people to help who are standing there in the flesh and in person. But, if things are going very slowly, usually the telephone won't ring either. So, if I answer the phone, I could say my name, I could say the name of someone else who would be answering the phone at customer service,or, finally, I could make up a name, and then be stuck with trying to spell it.