Reply #97: I have two preferred methods

[DFW]

If I'm tired and have no wish to play, I speak to the odffending party in Swedish or Catalan, or some language they are not likely to know.

If I4m up to it, I interrupt them and ask for their name and home phone number. That usually prompys a "why?" I answer, "so that I can call you at inopportune times at your residence and annoy you with offers you don't want to hear." That usually ends the discussion.

The most offensive one was when my father had just died. I mean like my mom and I had just held his hands while he took his last breath. Not three minutes later, the phone rang and some telemarketer called and asked to speak to my father. Doing my level best to not blow up, I explained that they should have called an hour ago, as he had just died less than five minutes ago, and was there anything else of pressing importance they had to say? (there wasn't)