Census Fail

I just called the U.S. Census Bureau to apply for a job as a census taker.  The conversation went a little something like this:

“Hello, U.S. Census Bureau,” an older man’s voice answers the phone.  He seems cheerful for someone who has a government job.

“Yes, hi, I’d like to apply for a job as a census taker?  I got this number from the website.”

“Okay.”

Then there is an awkward pause.  Is there a secret password I am supposed to know?  For a brief moment, we play chicken until finally, he cracks.  “I’ll need your name, please.”

I give him the name—first and last—spelling both first and last.

“It sounds like your name should be spelled -I-N, not -E-N.”

“Yeah…well…I’m pretty sure it’s -E-N.”

As the conversation progresses, he gives me information such as, “This is when your appointment is.”

I say, “My appointment for what?  For skills testing?”

He says, “Yeah, I guess.  It’s at the library, is that okay?”  Then he gives me some information on what is going to happen—things I need to bring and what kind of paperwork I will have to fill out.  I can hear lots and lots of people talking in the background, as well phones ringing, at least three of them, without being answered. He says, “I think that’s it.  Yeah, I am pretty sure that is it.  I don’t think I’m forgetting anything.  What was I going to say?”

He sounded frazzled, so I thought I would put him at ease by making conversation.  “It sounds like it’s pretty busy over there.  I guess you guys are getting a lot of phone calls.”

“Yeah,” he said.  “We have almost four thousand messages to return.”  I don’t think he was exaggerating.

“Well, one of them is mine, so you can scratch me off the list!” I exclaim cheerfully.  Because obviously they’re keeping a list, right?  Right?

“Yeah, okay, we’ll try.  So, I have to answer the other phone now.  Okay, so, yeah.  So, bye.”

…I have an appointment, though, so I’ll probably be able to get the job, right?  RIGHT?