the phone was busy

This is Dave and I'm back in Phoenix. Stop by the house if you want to say hi. I expect no one will but it's too hot to open the door anyway. Phoenix is like a furnace.

When I walked in the house last night we had 34 messages on our answering machine, so I got out a piece of paper to write down them all, just so I could return the calls of all those trying so hard to reach us. Here's the list (RM stands for Recorded Message):

1. RM Dish Network. Installing in my area and has a free offer.
   
2. RM Mortgage. I can lower my interest rate. Final notice.
   
3. RM Health Care. I can lower my HC costs to $100 or less per month.
   
4. RM Auto Warranty. I can get a great deal.
   
5. RM Dish Network. Installing in my area and has a free offer.
   
6. RM Credit cards. I can get lower rates and a fabulous new card!
   
7. RM Auto Warranty. I can get a great deal.
   
8. RM Dish Network. Installing in my area and has a free offer.
   
9. RM from Congressman Trent Price. Who is that?
   
10. Hang-up
11. RM Mortgage. I can lower my interest rate. Final notice.
    
12. RM Credit cards. This time from Heather, but still a recording.
    
13. RM free digital satellite available. Not from dish network.
    
14. RM Mortgage. A different company. I've been pre-qualified.
    
15. Call for exchange family from a friend in France, in May. Didn't leave a number.
16. Hang-up
17. Hang-up
18. RM Operators are standing by to...Deleted.
19. Hang-up
20. Call for exchange family from a friend in France, in May. Didn't leave a number.
21. Hang-up
22. RM "My girlfriend and you..."
23. RM Dish Network. Installing in my area and has a free offer.
    
24. RM Operators are standing by to...
25. RM free digital satellite available. Not from dish network.
    
26. RM "All operators are busy".
    
27. Hang-up
28. RM Dish Network. Installing in my area and has a free offer.
    
29. Hang-up
30. RM Mortgage. I can lower my interest rate. Final notice.
    
31. Human calling for Stasha. Alma - do we want her to clean our house?
32. UPS Kevin - delivering a package for Leanette. He had the wrong address.
33. RM "For Dave Ashton", then it hung up by itself
34. RM Bill Bennett. For Las Vegas vacations.
    

The population of the US is nearly 310 million, making it the 3rd largest country in the world. As far as I can tell there is hardly a living person in the whole place. Was it this way a year ago?