====== Hotline 2 ====== ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : HOTLINE! - Number 2 : : (c) 1987 by James A. Zachary, Jr. : ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The telephone at the water and sewage department is often busy with calls from customers concerned with public health matters... RING! >Southeast Treatment Plant, this is Zack... \"Is this the water department?\" >Yes Ma'am, for most of this area... \"Good. I have some very technical questions to ask you about the water\" >I'll try and help... \"Why are my nipples getting so hard?\" >You're not really serious... \"I AM SO!! My nipples... they're hard and they have this white coating on them!\" >Uhhhh, huh... hard, uhhh, nipples with white, uhh... stuff... \"Not only that, they're getting warped!\" >I see... \"They used to be soft, pink and round!\" >I'm sure they were... \"Now they really look disgusting!\" >I'm sure they do... \"So I want to know what you're going to do about this!\" >I really don't think I can help you. Have you discussed this with your personal physician? \"Yes I have! He said I should call you because he thought it was from the water!\" >I see... uhhhh, just why and how does he think the water is causing this? \"He said cleaning them in boiling water sometimes does that\" >Sounds painful... can't you just sponge them off? \"Painful?! THE BABY BOTTLE NIPPLES ARE THE ONES I'M TALKING ABOUT!\" >Now I understand... \"Are you going to buy me new ones?\" >Why would we do that? \"Because your water ruined these. My baby won't suck them anymore. He's been sic k and I think it's from the white stuff... he used to really suck...\" >May I ask how old your baby is? \"He's six, going on seven\" >Six... and he refuses the bottle? Maybe he's getting a little old for the bottle... \"DON'T TELL ME HOW TO RAISE MY CHILD!\" >I wasn't. How long have you been using these nipples? \"Since he was born\" >Hmmmmm. My guess is the white film is from the calcium carbonate in the water... kind of like bathtub ring of the nipple... \"AND?!\" >... and they are hard and warped because of being boiled and bitten for six years... \"So! You are refusing to pay!> >Well, that's not for me to decide. I was only trying to suggest they might just be plain worn out. \"THEY WOULDN'T BE WORN OUT IF YOUR WATER WAS ANY GOOD!\" >There is really nothing more I can do for you... \"JUST HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET MY MONEY?\" >Well, why not grab your nipples and run down to our main office. There you can file an insurance claim... \"What good would that do? Will they give me the money?\" >They will investigate and make a judgement whether to settle or not... \"Well, you sure haven't been any help! How do I get them to pay more attention than you have?\" >Just show them your nipples...