Joe Blow’s 5th email: “I just sent my design. Gosh i hope its not to tricky, once you see it then..  Joe”

My notes: I stop opening his emails and simply delete them assuming they are from a fake account and his “design” may be one he found online.

Several days later, I notice a missed call on my cell phone from a number that I do not recognize. Days later, on a Friday evening, a call comes in from that same unknown number. I wonder who’s calling and then ringing stops. The caller disconnected and then immediately redialed so my phone begins ringing again. That seems quit familiar to me–that only someone I know would do that. I answer with a simple “hello.” The caller asks, “Can I speak to Maria.” (Getting my name wrong.) “This is Marie,” I say.  The caller says, “This is Joe.”  “Joe who?” I ask, already unhappy with the encounter.  “Joe from (he names a US West Coast state). (At this point I’m thinking how I hate that. I know a lot of people on the West Coast!)  “Do you have a last name?”I inquire. The caller replies “Blow.” “Why are you calling?” I ask, not yet associating him with those odd emails I’d deleted a week prior. He rambles on about his “design,” asking if I saw it and telling me that I had “promised” to take a look at his “design.”  At this point I make the connection to his emails. I try to explain to him that after he’d ignored my multiple requests for a link to review his work  that I deleted his emails. “I thought they were a scam,” I tell him. Joe starts yelling. I put my cell phone face down on my sofa cushion and can still hear him shouting. I look at my phone for a minute amazed that this strange guy is yelling. Then I pick up phone and try to say something to stop his yelling. A second of silence when he may actually hear me. But then he cuts me off with more yelling–“my design is so great the young kids think it’s amazing!” he screams. “Great, then you won’t have any trouble getting representation, ” I say and disconnect the call.

My notes: I understand that artists are sensitive and that it can be difficult for them to reach out. While I am also sensitive to artist’s needs I am not a therapist or a whipping post. Joe Blow was dishonest with me and himself. If he’d been honest it would have all gone differently.

What Joe did wrong –from my point of view–is that he made his approach too casual. At the very least he should have used his spell-checker before sending his emails. His extensive misspellings and typos claiming that he was an “auther (sic) for the visual arts,” without naming one magazine or blog where I might read his articles made me suspect that I was dealing with a fake account. (There are millions of fake accounts on Facebook alone.) He should have provided some proof of his identity, such as a link to an article or social media account, in his very first email, to establish credibility and invoke confidence in his statements. On top of his poor email approach, he telephoned me without asking my permission or stating that he’d like to talk with me on the phone. If he had mentioned a conversation, I would have given him an hourly rate for a consultation. Why did he cold call me on a Friday night?! Did he think we were dating?! His Friday evening call and manner made me think that he had one way or one state of mind for speaking to any and all women. Was he trying to start a personal relationship with me or discuss business? Friday evening is not a time to make a cold call. Plus he did not handle the call professionally. He failed to introduce himself right away and tell me why he was calling, again demonstrating his lack of self-confidence. During this very odd and unexpected call Joe referred to my email offer to review his work as a “promise” that he seemed to be accusing me of failing to keep my “promise.” My reply to his first odd email had been an act of kindness and generosity on my part, which he seemed to have misconstrued. Joe should have thanked me for my offer to review his work. He seemed to misunderstand my two very brief email replies. Is Joe an unbalanced personality? The signs are there. At the very least he’s going though a difficult time and is creating blocks for himself. I know that someone like Joe would be too difficult to work with. Perhaps, in future, he will learn and grow. I wish the best for Joe Blow.