Talk To Me

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

…. But not on the phone!

You see, I have this thing against talking on phone. Especially when I’m talking to someone for the first time, I’d rather talk face to face. You see, it becomes very difficult (or so I assume) to imagine what I must be looking like in real if you talk to me on phone. I, erm, sound like a 2 year old. Okay. So, I’ve said it. Whew. My voice. There is something in my voice that makes me sound sooooooooo… young, almost kiddish! When I was in 7th Std, someone, who had ONLY heard me over the telephone, had offered me a dubbing role in one cartoon. He thought I was in 2nd Std or something and my Dad had a tough time convincing him that I really WAS 5 years older than what he thought. When he showed our Kullu-Manali trip pictures to everyone in his office (in the same year), all those who had heard my voice (I was a regular caller, “ May I talk to blah blah, pleeeaaasee” I literally used to sing this line out. Okay, this once when I was in 3rd Std, I had called my Mom’s office and the convo went something like this… “May I talk to my mother, please” “ Who is this?” “I’m my mother’s daughter” “Hahahahh. And who is your mother?” “Oh! Erm.. she’s [name]” *blushing red and crimson*) were expecting to see a toddler or something perhaps because they were shocked to see such a grown up 11 year-old!

This voice problem of mine (which at times turns out to be a good thing as well. S says she and others find it hard to believe that I can ever be rude (even when I AM rude) because no matter what I say, it sounds very ‘sweet’. Right. Now THAT must be a surprise to you all. Acidic BlogOwner isn’t REALLY that acidic, then. Hah!) has been thoroughly tested by me. I was always the voice on the answering machine at home, so, *sigh*, I have heard it many, MANY times. I have even recorded my own conversations with TC and Abhu, where I’ve purposely thrown in all sorts of voice maneuvers or whatever (like giggles, expressions of indignation, horror, etc) just to hear what I sound like. Was I shocked! I do sound…. Cute, may be. But erm.. I sound like a very, very, VERY smart, intelligent and discerning 6 year old.

(The above is applicable only when I’m in a normal frame of mind and body and I’m not down with cold or fever or hysteria or something.)

My second problem with phone conversation is that there is no facility to ‘pause’. One has to keep talking. Blank phases make you sound stupid. You can’t multitask or talk to 5 people at once or pretend to be absorbed by the beauty of the lettuce sandwich kept on the table when you’re on the phone. You just HAVE to……talk.

Problem number three is that if the line is *bleep*ed up then you have to keep going like “Pardon?” “Sorry?” “er.. WHAT?” and pretend that you’ve heard what they’re saying and feign a “Er.. Okay..” or “Hmm..” or better yet, a little “Hmehemmehe” which is “Hmm” in a giggly way, so that works at all times, in all situations, except when the other person is asking you a question.

So. Yes. Don't call me, okay? IMing is SO much fun! You can send smileys and winks and nudges and whatnot. We should take advantage of such technological advances, innit?

P.S.: Okay so half the post has been written within pairs of parentheses. I had no other place to fit those!

P.S.2: My voice isn't THAT kiddish, also. I think I've exagerrated a little, but who cares?! Same thing!

13 comments:

The New Age Superhero said...

hahaha... ok we hav 2 call u now! hav to hav to hav to :D

abey.. seedha bol na u r very conscious of talkin on phone.. i was so till last year ok.. i dunno.. i jst felt very weird 2 call someone.. tho i do make million calls n even did back then.. i used 2 start the convo very very nervously.. now i talk as if the person on the other end is born just 2 hear my voice.. shit i hav 2 call u.. hehe.. trust me.. there wud be no pauses.. if there are any pauses then my voice will promptly fell them up :D

FH said...

Whoa!! Me too Sneha.I hate speaking on the phone too, unless I am speaking to close friends!I prefer e mails!;D
Hope your voice is that childish and you are just exaggerating!!!!Imagine being a lawyer and with the teeny weeny voice!!Haha!!
Fun post!:))

Sneha said...

@suk- One word-- NOT!



@asha- Yeay! It's the two of us then :))
Hahah! Thanks :D

Tejal said...

er.. i luurvee talkin on da phone.. :P n we've jus spoken for bout an hour n half jus now so u cant complain either.. :P
n helo? do u record our convoz witout my knowledge? :0
(even i luv writin in parenthesis actaully heheh so its pretty cute ok)

tinuviel said...

:D I share your horror of the awkward pauses on phone!

And thanks for your comment..

Anonymous said...

Hey talking on the phone is so much more fun! Or probably I belong to the class of people who prefer having some form of imagery of the person they're talking to, minimum of which is [at least] offered in voices from the other side! And you see bearing someone who's terrible on the phone is a lot of character building!

raghu said...

hmnmn..still chewin.

Anonymous said...

I hate the phone too :)

Abhu said...

WHAT!!! u have been recording our convos???*horrified look*
and yeah!! ur expressions and certain speaking styles ARE extremely kiddish. i agree. escpecially that silly pout u make. but on the phone, u R TOOOO loud. u keep screaming all the tym. so dunno why pple take u for a child:I

raghu said...

u might sound like anny.. shes loud n childish.

Michelle said...

i won be exaggerating if i say i sound 10...i totally do...sigh...lol

Quarter Past Seven said...

lol.. I have had funny conversation on the phone with people.. i generally mess up..butI think phone conversations are fun.. i ve been told I sound smarton the phone..hehe.. only on the phone though..lol

Shiekh of Controversy said...

kudos