L.L. Bean's golden silence

I AM PLEASED to report that the folks at L.L. Bean are giving admirable consideration to the consumers who call the company for an item or two in its catalog. (No, I don't own any of the company's stock.) But when I called the other day to take advantage of a super-discount with no charge for shipping, the voice at the other end said he would transfer me to the next available agent. Until then, a voice said: "There will be silence while you wait."

How beautiful, those words! How wonderful that a mail order company would counter America's insistence on noise, with never a moment left to relieve the overexposed ear! No sales chatter. No awful music like the kind piped onto the sidewalk outside of a shopping mall. No kids screaming in restaurants to the indifference of their parents. Nothing!

Thank you, L.L. Bean. I hope we can do business again. I don't mind waiting.