Dealing with Corporate Information Gathering

The other day, I was purchasing a television antenna in a major electronics store and was asked by the cashier for my name.

“Why,” I asked. ‘I don’t need a warranty.”

“I have to have it for our records,” explained the cashier.

Fed up with practice of companies gathering as much personal information as possible about their customers, I said, "Maxine Meriwether Pasquadibisceglie-Jones.”

She looked at me in utter confusion. “Exucse me?”

"Maxine Meriwether Pasquadibisceglie-Jones.”

The cashier entered “Maxine M.” into the computer database. “What is your last name?”

“Pasquadibisceglie-Jones'” I pulled out my cell phone and began reading emails.

The cashier asked, “How do you spell that?”

"With a hyphen," I said absently

"Once more?" she asked.

"Pasquadibisceglie-Jones " I said it slowly, enunciating every syllable.

"Could you please spell that?" she asked, glancing at the half dozen people now waiting in line behind me.

"Oh ... it’s just like it sounds."

Putting down "Jones," she asked for my address.

"14701 N.E. Wachatanoobee Parkway, Complex 3, Building O, Appt. 1382b, Washburn, Wisconsin."

When the cashier was almost through entering this in the computer, I put away my phone and said, "Or did you mean my current address?"

Stopping, her smile laced with irritation, she said, "Yes. I need your current address."

"1372 Tinatonabee Avenue, Building 14C, Suite 2, Box 138201," I replied, “Diluthian Heights, Mississippi.”

Waiting until she finished I said, "No, wait, it's NORTH Tinatonabee Avenue."

Annoyed, she backed up and changed it.

"I think," I interjected.

She turned the monitor so that he could see it. "And is all this correct?" she asked in a standard manner.

"Of course," I replied, and signed the credit card receipt with my real name, Tracy Lee.

***Modified from a joke originally found on GCFL.com