On the subject of husbands' last names.

[kiya]

This from the most recent spam phone call I've gotten (I'm answering the phone today because Kevin placed an order and they might be calling here).

Hello?
Can I speak to Kevin Marsh?
I'm afraid he's at work.

This is the normal thing. Normally in follow-up to this, they ask me, "Are you Mrs. Marsh?" and I say "No." This time they asked the question that I answer "Yes" to:

Is this his wife?
Yes.

Then it gets interesting.

Mrs. Marsh, I. . .
My name is not Mrs. Marsh.
Huh?

Graceful recovery, that.

I did not take my husband's name.
*with amazing huffiness* Oh-kay. Sorrreeeeee.

Then she hung up on me.

Comments

Re: A better response

[kiya]

I was actually thinking of you guys when I said it. I think yours is more effective because it turns the thing on its head; it underscores that it's a stupid assumption because it's not the Expected Thing that a man would take his wife's name.

Someone who points out that he didn't take his wife's name is doing something incongruous that shows up the silliness of the presumption of name-changing. Someone who points out that she didn't take her husband's name is a ball-breaking feminazi bitch who should know better than to be annoyed by being referred to by a name not her own because she should know that's the normal thing to do, the freak.

At least I presume that's why she got huffy about being gently corrected.