Page 100 of Call Me Anytime
“Here at Progress Mutual, we offer some of the best homeowner’s insurance policy rates in Nashville compared to what you’re seeing and possibly paying for. Would you be interested in talking more about this?”
“No.”Click.
The line goes dead for the fiftieth time today, and I reach out to tap the mouse on my computer to pause the autodialer from sendingme to another person who is either going to yell at me, hang up on me, or give me the two-for-one combo. One glance at the time, and I’m overjoyed to see my slotted lunch hour has finally arrived. I take off my headset and leave my small cubicle in the center of the room, which is filled with forty other partitioned boxes just like it.
Working for Progress Mutual as a cold-calling telemarketer isn’t my idea of a good time, but I guess it beats working in a sex cubicle, fielding kinky calls from horny men who want me to help them blow their load.
I pass by my boss’s office on my way into the break room, and William Vance offers a little wave and a smile in my direction. My interview with ol’ Willy occurred two days ago, just twenty-four hours after I told Margo I couldn’t work at Call Me Anytime anymore.
I realize that normally it’s good for employees to give two weeks’ notice, but I’d say the sex-work industry handles things a little differently. I didn’t quit CMA because I’d found a better job opportunity; I quit because I simply couldn’t handle it anymore, mentally.
More like, the only reason you were able to handle it in the first place was because Dom was involved.
I roll my eyes at myself as I step into the fluorescent-lit break room and snag my packed lunch out of the fridge. But my mind, well, she’s being a real stubborn bitch as she dwells on what happened with Dom a week and a half ago.
Even now, I still don’t fully understand why he did what he did. Why he felt compelled to pay off the reverse mortgage on my mother’s house and try to give me a check for an obscene amount of money. I’m sure it stemmed from good intentions, but it didn’t make mefeelgood at all.
He told me I was letting my pride get in the way. And maybe he’s right. I don’t know.
But I’ve never been the kind of girl who found it easy to ask for help. I’ve always been the type who doesn’t want any. The type who wants to be independent and do shit on her own.
Dom trying to help me made me feel weak. Pathetic. Like some helpless damsel in distress who needed a man to come save her.
I’m not the fucking damsel. I’ve never been the damsel.
I plop down at the table that sits in the corner of the small break room. No one else is in here. A lot of the employees leave the building for lunch, and I can’t decide if I like the solitude or if it’s slowly killing me.
I pull my phone out of my jeans pocket, my mind ready to mindlessly scroll through TikTok videos, but I see missed text messages on the screen.
One I pointedly ignore. The others I click open with a grateful smile on my face.
Monica:Girl, I still can’t believe you’re not at CMA anymore.
Lana:It’s not the same without you, Hannah!
Monica:Though I can’t deny, your leaving did come with a huge benefit for me ... Margo let me take over your Ruby line.
Lana:Ugh. I’m so jealous you got the Ruby line, Mon.
I type out a response.
Me:You’re working the Ruby line, Mon? But I thought you had hella loyal customers on Diamond ...
I silently wonder if Margo had to put someone on the Ruby line because of the active MNPD investigation. Does Monica now know about the two CMA girls who were murdered? Has Shane updated her on the case because he’s now recordinghercalls?
So many unanswered questions, but ones I know I’m not supposed to ask.
Frankly, I didn’t even give Shane a heads-up that I quit CMA. I just ... woke up one morning and couldn’t get myself to go back in there and called Margo and told her I couldn’t do it anymore.
She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t mad either. Surely I’m not the first girl who hasn’t been able to handle the job.
Monica:I did, but they were all FREAKS. Ruby calls are far less risk for lifelong trauma.
I can’t decide if I should laugh or cry for her. I mean, Monica is a beautiful, bright, intelligent, awesome girl who is just trying to make her way to med school.
Monica:Anywho, your ass better stay in touch.
Lana:Yes, girl! We know you’re busy with your big-shot telemarketing job, but you better make some time for us. We need to do lunch soon!
