Do You Like to Shout Out Your Name?

I just picked up a $7.99 timer at the Home Hardware.

Apparently it's an electronic device and therefore comes complete with warranty.

Fine. If it stops beeping within the year I'll be able to send it away and get it repaired, likely paying twice the postage compared with the cost of it.

What annoys me is that they must fill out a warranty questionnaire before you get to pay for the electronic item.

Business or personal? I respond: Personal, hoping they'll honour the word. But no.

Phone number? They have absolutely NO NEED to know what my phone number is, they'll never call me anyway -- and who knows if this number gets sold to yet another telemarketer? I hate saying my number out loud; there should be a law against asking it. Maybe there is, but I don't know about it so I say it quietly, too quietly it turns out because she has to yell it back at me to check for accuracy. (Hmm, shoulda given her the number to Dial-a-Prayer or something -- or is there such a thing?)

And my name. She asks for my name! I always hate it when I have to say it out loud publicly, and I hate it if someone else blurts it out. When I am at the medical clinic awaiting my turn, I cringe when they say my name aloud. Do I have self-esteem issues? Probably. But it appears to me to be such an invasion of privacy!

Back to the Home Hardware clerk. I say my name, this time loud enough for her to hear. Turns out all she needs is my first name, dammit!

I take my little timer and walk out the door, feeling so violated.

But life goes on. The next guy has his turn at the till, and I have been rapidly forgotten.
Still -- it's MY name, MY number and I don't think I should have to share it when I don't want to.