Sometimes You Just Have To Be Mean

In life and definitely in Journalism there are sometimes that it is necessary to be a little mean, sometimes you have to be downright bitchy to get your point across. This happened to me today. Probably a week and half ago a man called me telling me his son, who is in the custody of DCFS, has severe asthma and that anytime he is around any kind of pet dander, smoke or other irritants he has a severe attack. He proceeded to tell me he got rids of his dogs, changed the carpet in his house, repainted, stopped smoking and a number of other things to keep his child from having an asthma attack during visits but the attacks kept happening. Come to find out the child's case worker has a dog and she is the one causing the attacks. So he wanted me to write a story about how DCFS was doing nothing about it and he son was getting sick because of it. I wanted to do a story but then his doctor wouldn't speak and then his lawyer wouldn't talk and then when his lawyer did talk gave up very little information. Finally I spoke with a man from DCFS he said that if this man was to bring a doctors note saying his son's health was in danger they would switch the case worker but the man hadn't done that yet. So there is really nothing to write about here. Still the man has called me three times today. He asked "How hard is it to get a story in the paper?" I responded, "There is nothing for me to write about, you haven't done what they asked so therefore this is your problem and there is nothing I can do about it." He still called and left me another message with a number to call his doctor. I called him back and said, "Listen, DCFS has said they will change your case worker if you provide a doctor's note. Until you do that and DCFS still refuses I cannot help you." I thought he got the message. I wasn't speaking in a friendly tone and this was the third time I had said the same thing, but no. He called AGAIN!! I had gone the bathroom and missed it (dang I know) so I called him back and it went straight to voicemail this is what I said, "I advise you call DCFS and find out what they need you to do. If and when you have done those things and they still refuse to switch your case worker contact me again and I can get something in the paper. In the meantime I have other stories to write and other people to help, so unless there is a new development please don't call me again."
A little bitchy? Yes. Absolutely necessary? Yes. It isn't my fault he didn't get the point the first 3 times he called today.