There’s a reason why the infamous person who talks a lot and holds other people hostage was represented as a character called ‘Uncle Colm’ in the show Derry Girls.

It’s such an impossible situation to exit politely that you just end up thinking “this is my life now” while they chat away, giving you details about their lives that you never asked for.

But what would you do if you kept having to deal with Uncle Colms every other day?

In this case, a woman working in customer service rants about how she can’t stand having to hear about people’s personal lives at work anymore.

Keep reading for the full rant.

I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR LIFE STORY

I need a good way to professionally say “shut up about yourself, I do not care and have things to do.” Also, big rant coming on through.

I work remotely for a publishing company and talk to lots of folks.

Most of them are straight to the point, which I prefer. Let’s get this call done so I can help the next person.

I just had a call where the woman insisted on telling me about her “writing career” and cataract surgery. How she was from Timmons, Shania Twain’s hometown.

It was annoying & grating.

The hard “P”s and whistling “S”s because her phone was too close to her mouth.

How she relied on audiobooks almost exclusively but after the surgery was ready to use her eyes again.

Her favorite author (Henry James) and what I thought about his works.

I have 3 kids, I don’t have time to take a shower by myself, much less read a book.

All before asking about the free catalog, so I took her address and let her know we’re a US based company and the prices she’ll see in the catalog won’t be the same, as she lives in Canada.

And there was no real payoff, either.

She had already been chatty, but this piece of info triggered a cascade of questions.

Which, yes, ask questions. That is what I am here for. Every time I tried to answer her questions, however, she overtalked me.

She asked questions I had already given the answers to. Asked if we take checks. Asked what the shipping times would be.

She finished the conversation, which should have taken 2 minutes but was rolling into its 15th, with “I’m not sure I’ll even order anything, the catalog will just be nice to have” before hanging up.

She is reaching her limit.

Stuff like this makes me explode.

I know I’m paid either way, I know she might be lonely, I know there are a thousand other factors that might be at play. But oh. My. GAWD.

Please, please, PLEASE do not trap some poor customer service agent in a circular conversation just because you don’t have anything else going on. It’s borderline evil.

Or, at the very least, have the common sense to understand that no CSR has the time to come to your TED talk. I care as much about your life story as you do mine.

The least they could do is tell a funny or interesting story if they feel like talking so much.

What did Reddit have to say?

Someone shares an experience.

This person sees the cup full.

This is unbelievable.

Another reader chimes in.

Maybe people who do this need to be studied.

She needs to find ways to gently interrupt them.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.