Red Cross Blunder

So more than 2 months ago I applied to be a Red Cross Volunteer.  There is more about this in previous blog posts, but for the purposes of this post all you need to know is that it is something I'm really excited to do and was told that I would be contacted within 2 weeks to discuss volunteer opportunities for me, and that despite my persistent follow-up I still have not been contacted. 

So yesterday as Jonathan and I are enjoying our after lunch coffee and Christmas cookies the phone rings.  I answer it and it's someone who identifies themselves as a Red Cross representative calling to ask for my "help".  Yes!  It's the Red Cross!!  They have finally called me!!  I then begin waving frantically at Jonathan to get his attention.  So I, getting excited, say of course I would like to help.  She then get's excited and asks me how often I would like to help, once a year, or maybe monthly.  I then, in excellent Spanish mind you, explain that I am living in Spain for a year and that in the US I am a social worker and that I want to help the Red Cross as often as I can because not only is it helping other people, but also a great way for me to practice my Spanish.  Surprised, the woman then says that her daughter is a social worker too, she works with children.  I then explained the various populations I have worked with.  Mind you, as this entire conversation is occurring my jubilation and excitement is building (and I'm already generally an excited person).  I am working diligently in my conjugation of my Spanish verbs, trying to sound as proficient as possible (the wheels they were a turning!).  So I'm thinking I'm doing awesome, that this woman is super impressed with me and I'm going to nab an amazing volunteer opportunity.  So then she says "so if you tell me how much you would like to pledge I can send you a bill in the mail, which you can then take to any bank to pay".  Confused, I ask her to repeat herself.  After she does I say "wait, are you asking me for money?".  She then laughed (laughed!!!) at me and said yes, to help the Red Cross serve those in need.  WHAT?!  She's not the volunteer coordinator at all!  This was a solicitor!!!  She probably thought that I was one of those old ladies who is so lonely that they spend hours talking to solicitors about their grandchildren!  Embarrassed, ashamed, and disappointed I played the passive wife card and said that I would have to talk to my husband about it.  She's going to call back in a few days...but this time I'll be ready for her.