Pegasus, I would like to know how they think you should ring them to tell them your line is down. I do hope you have a cell phone!

I usually have to tell the operators that I have a hearing impairment and can't understand them. Sometimes if you tell the person that you know it's not his/her fault but you just can't understand, he or she will let you talk to someone else. If that doesn't work, you can say, "I'm sorry but I just can't talk to you anymore.", hang up and dial back and see if you can get a different person.

I admit, it's most frustrating.

The state I live in has three distinct areas that have different accents. I'm in the central part of the state. The people at the very northen tip of the state can't understand me, even if I totally slow down and e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-e! My friend used to get me to go with her to the deli at the store and ask me to order what she wanted.

The deli person would invariably give me this totally puzzled look, then look over at my friend and say, "What did she say?" My friend would say, "Tell her again, Jan." I never got anyone to be able to understand me, even when I tried hard!

I want to take someone from the southern part of my state up there to see what reaction they have to that accent! Whew, talk about southern!