I said Both

A "Stephanie" from the area Texas Right to Life called the house asking to speak to me yesterday. This is an account of what happened, as best I can recall.

I'm in the bathroom braiding my hair after a morning shampoo. Jen is on the computer in my room and the phone rings. She answers the phone and says, "One moment, Mary, telephone" without asking who it was first. Fuming because I didn't want to be bothered with any unsolicited phone calls from telemarketers on a cold rainy Saturday morning, I yell from the bathroom, "Why didn't you ask who it was before calling me to the phone?" Jen sighs and puts the receiver back to her ear and says, "May I ask who's calling? It's Stephanie from the Texas Right to Life." I shutter and hiss back, "See! Ugh!!" I huff all the way to the cordless phone in the kitchen to receive the call while Jen waits to hang it up in the bedroom.

"Greetings," I say.

"Hello, is this Mary Evans?"

"Yes, this is she."

"My name is Stephanie with the Texas Right to Life and I have a question for you."

"Yes."

"I just need to know if you are pro-choice, right to life, or undecided/in between?"

"Both."

"So you are saying you're not pro-choice or right to life, but somewhere in between."

"No, Both"

A staggering silence fell over the line.

"So," Stephanie cautiously trods to seek more clarity, "You are saying you aren't choosing either, but are somewhere in between?"

"No, my answer is Both."

Another long pause silences the dialogue.

Seemingly confused, she asks with clarity one more time. "Both?"

"Both."

"Well, thank you very much for your time Miss Evans."

"No, Thank you."

(click)
(click)

I then poke my head into the bedroom and peer in on Jen. "Did you hear what I kept saying?"

"Yep. Both"

"You know why right?"

"Yes, but I'm sure that lady just thought you were trying to get her off the phone by trying to be funny."

"I know I stumped her. I think she was just trying to pin me down to a decision so she could ask more questions. What she didn't realize is that I wasn't trying to be funny. My answer was "BOTH", Jen and I say simultaneously, laughing.

Turning to head back into the bathroom, I smile and say to my sister, "Thanks for answering that phone,"