rocknload | (no subject)

Okay, I was called for one of the strangest random surveys ever.

Guy on phone: Excuse me, I'd like to ask you some questions.
Me: Uh--
Guy on phone: Have you ever heard of an initiation?
Me: Wait, what?
Guy on phone: Like, an initiation into a group, or something like that.
Me: Sure, I guess? On the news and stuff.
Guy on phone: And do you have any personal experience with them?
Me: Er, no, I guess not.
Guy on phone: But you've heard of them.
Me: ... Sure?
Guy on phone: And what do you know about them, personally?
Me: Nothing.
Guy on phone: But you've heard of them.
Me: On the news and stuff.
Guy on phone: Would you say that they're meant to be embarrassing for the person going through them?
Me: ...... I guess they can be?
Guy on phone: Okay. And would you say that they're meant to be amusing for the spectators?
Me: .......... Um, what?
Guy on phone: Would you say that they're meant to be amusing for the spectators?
Me: I don't--
Guy on phone: If you were witnessing something like this, would you laugh?
Me: .............. That really depends on what they're doing. What is this for?
Guy on phone: Uh, that's actually an excellent question. I'm going through something of an initiation myself, into a group, and I was looking for other people's experiences or, um, impressions about them, to compare with my own initiation.
Me: And where did you get this number?
Guy on phone: It, uh, looks like they've given me a random list of phone numbers, um, is that okay?
Me: I was just wondering, because your questions seem to be very leading.
Guy on phone: Oh, sorry.
Me: I was just wondering what results you're looking for, here.
Guy on phone: I, uh ... Well, it seems like you don't really have any experience with these things so thank you for your time.
Me: No problem.

Is it just me, or does something seem off, maybe even slightly creepy about this? I was just trying to point out the fact that he wasn't conducting a very scientific survey. I'm not a total bitch.

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(deleted comment)

I was going to tell him I didn't have time to do that right now, but he went right on talking. S'probably why I was so critical of him.

I've also had this number called from a random survey about my sex life. I think, anyway, I was sick and delirious at the time. I'm pretty sure I made a bunch of shit up and then hung up.

It is kinda creepy. =/ Wonder how they got your number.

It's a campus phone, so that's probably how. The school gave it to them, for ... some reason.

Think it's somebody from your school getting put through an initiation by being forced to call people? Was there any snickering in the background?

That could be it! I DON'T KNOW, I didn't hear anyone else! MAYBE IT WAS AN ATTEMPT AT A PRACTICAL JOKE? I have no idea what was going on.

S'probably part of the initiation.

I'd hate to join that club!

I'd agree and say that it was probably part of the initiation itself. The beginning definitely sounds rather creepy, but once you started asking him questions, it sounded like he was pretty embarrassed to be doing this/called out on the WTFery of it.

To commiserate, I got called no less than three different times on different numbers during college by a guy who said, "I'm wearing panties." I hung up on him each time, though looking back, I wish I'd had the wits to fuck with him (them?).

Heh, now that is a different sort of creepy, I think.