Could You Say that Again?

Have you ever, but of course you have, found yourself speaking to a robotic voice? Do you say, "Why do I need to answer these inane questions before I'm connected to a real human?"

And you can't rile the mechanized, digitalized voice—it simply plods on with a canned message. It doesn't answer back, show annoyance, or move from its appointed ways. A stoic voice plodding on to a conclusion.

And when a human voice is finally at the end of the line—the person is difficult to understand.

"Where are you located?" I inquire—after I've asked the woman to repeat what she said for the third time.

India. I try to listen carefully, but I still politely ask  her to repeat a sentence. It is me, I think, my hearing isn't that acute. After a series of back and forths we are simpatico.

I don't wish to accept the title of curmudgeon and I do believe that we live in a global economy, but shouldn't it be easier to communicate?