Hello…Mortuary?

Well, at a guess I’d estimate it’s been about 18 months since my last blog post which is shameful. I will admit, there have been a number of times I have thought about writing but my time is quite occupied with life and/or actual work these days. It was also quite occupied with the attempt at writing a book which is currently on a bit of a back burner while I figure some things out. Cryptic? Who, me?

I would say, something amused me a lot this week and my immediate thought was how it might make good Blog content. Twinned with the opportunity to have a bath which is my favoured location to type away, here I am. It’s very nice to be back writing again.

One thing that happens a lot in the mortuary, which you might not expect, is wrong number phone calls. Ranging from completely unsuspecting people calling from outside, scam calls who happen to dial a mortuary and people accidentally transferred internally to the wrong number, they happen and they happen a lot.

The classic response to us picking up with a ‘Hello, Mortuary?’ is to just hang up. Due to the lack of communication here I don’t know if it’s shock or embarrassment, or any other feeling that means they press the end call button but it happens and it’s fast. A click and then a dial tone, bye mystery caller.

Other times the person will either ignore or not hear what we have said and just talk about what they have called for. Whether that be expecting to be put through to someone about their biopsy or an enquiry about double glazing, sadly we cannot help and have to explain that they have come through to the mortuary. Occasionally this lands in a humorous way, but also can be audibly quite upsetting to people. We can do nothing but apologise and ask them to try again with their call.

My favourite wrong number dial normally goes in the way that the person hears mortuary and has a very comical response. A declaration of ‘No, that’s not right’ or ‘Oh dear I don’t think you can help me with my colonoscopy’ are good. I quite enjoy people who see the funny side, and even more if they can be silly with the response.

This week one caller went further to even say they would wish me a good day but they weren’t sure that was possible in my place of work. I assured them that not only was it possible but I would certainly try to have one now at which they responded ‘well you do sound very cheery considering what you do’.

Once again I am reminded that although times have been tough and I’ve debated leaving this career, I can’t deny that I do love my job when I am able to help people and I do seem to have the cheery disposition required. Maybe it’s not time to go just yet.

Let’s not leave it so long next time, eh?

MG x