a moment, please." If Mrs. Brown is unable to come to the phone, the correct reply is "Mrs. Brown can't come to the phone now. May I have your name, and she will call you back as soon as possible?" If you must put the telephone down during the conversation, do it gently, and when you hang up, do it gently. DO NOT SLAM THE RECEIVER DOWN. The person at the other end may still have the phone close to his ear, and then a sudden sharp bang can be hurtful as well as rude. Common Telephone Courtesy Hints (1) Make sure of the correct number so as not to risk disturbing strangers. (2) Make sure that your conversations with busy people are as brief as possible. (3) When calling friends who do not recognize your voice, announce yourself right away. (4) Time your calls so as not to interfere with the work schedule of those you call. (5) Make business calls well before the close of the office hours. (6) After dialing a wrong number simply say, "Sorry, wrong number." (7) When the number you are calling is not answered quickly, wait long enough for someone to put aside what he or she is doing. It is very annoying to have been disturbed just to pick up the telephone and find the caller has hung up.