Aaron Titus, a father of five in suburban Maryland, is the newest folk hero for our modern age of mild technological annoyances! Earlier this week, the school district awoke him with a 4:30 a.m. robocall. Two can play that game.

The Washington Post takes us inside Aaron Titus' moment of angst: the robocall was simply to inform him that due to snow, school would be opening two hours late. What a rip, right? So Aaron Titus went out, found himself a robocall company, and recorded the following call, which he sent out to members of the local school board the following morning, at 4:30 a.m.:

"This is a Prince George's County School District parent, calling to thank you for the robocall yesterday at 4:30 in the morning. I decided to return the favor. While I know the school district wanted to ensure I drop my child off two hours late on a snow day, I already knew that before I went to bed. I hope this call demonstrates why a 4:30 a.m. call does more to annoy than to inform.''

It ended: "Quit robocalling parents at 4:30 in the morning or at least allow us to opt out of these intrusive calls."

This is as close to Falling Down as most suburban family men are likely to get. We salute you, Aaron Titus: your benign tit-for-tattery is an appropriate balm for the chronic fits of gentle pique which accompany the harried but generally comfortable life of today's upper middle class Americans. [Washington Post]

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