No more Mr. Nice Guy

I started getting some numbers from the directory assistance from names of agencies on my mind....I dial the number that I got and....phone rings....a woman answers...

her: Hello...

me: Hello... can I speak to Ruth please?

her: ( sounds annoyed...) I'm sorry... Ruth doesn't work here, she actually works for Phil travel....

me:( I am so tempted to say 'whatever!' but time and time again I always say to my daughter never say that word to anyone...) ...sorry...I just want to enquire about the next available flight to the Philippines please...

her: ...to the Phi.......lip.....pines?

me: ( I am so annoyed by the response Id like to say---"no...to HOng Kong which is about two hours flight to the Philippines...which is - the way things are going.... is approximately the same amount of time I'd spend sitting here to get any information from you...) Yes...to the Philippines , please...

her: Phi..lip....pines- let me see.....

(one minute silence)

her: There is no available flight...( in her most disinterested tone)

me: What do you mean there is no available flight? Please tell me the earliest available flight via Philippine Airlines? Qantas? Or any other airline for that matter....please.
( by this time , I am so annnoyed by the inefficiency of this person I am struggling to be polite. Instead of telling her how to do her job I could have said---" Can you please grab that yellow and black book beside your computer....yes, that one specially printed for you that says- WORKING AT TRAVEL AGENCIES FOR DUMMIES....open it to the chapter that says- Handling Travel Enquiries....good...you're doing good...you're living up to the book's name....)

her: Philippine Airlines - July 31 earliest; Qantas first week of August...

me: any other earlier flight from any other airline?

(silence)



(...more silence....)



(...and yet more silence)

her: ...you there?

me: ( I am surprised I still am...) Yes, please...

her: None!

I just bloody hate monosyllabic people or people who cuts their answers as short as possible in the hope the other person goes away as soon as possible. By this time, I was so frustated it was time for ' no more Mr. Nice Guy' moment...

Me: are you there?

her: Yes...

me: ( ...in my nicest tone...) I was just wonderin' , since you know Ruth and Philtravel....could you give me their number please???

Click. She puts down the phone....
Harsh...I know, what I did but then....