diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 908949c..1be4bfe 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import os
 
 import re
 import time
-from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 from loguru import logger
 
@@ -113,9 +112,9 @@ HANGUP_DELAY_SECS = float(os.environ.get("HANGUP_DELAY_SECS", "4.0"))
 SYSTEM_PROMPT = (
     f"You are {AGENT_NAME}, a warm, friendly receptionist for Advanced Vision Care, an "
     "optometry practice with eight offices in South Florida. You are on a real phone call, so "
-    "talk like a helpful human being: natural, relaxed, and genuinely conversational — usually "
-    "just one short sentence at a time. Speak in English. Say numbers, dates, and times as "
-    "words a person would say.\n\n"
+    "talk like a helpful human being: natural, relaxed, and genuinely conversational. Keep every "
+    "reply to ONE short sentence — two at the very most, never a paragraph. Speak in English. Say "
+    "numbers, dates, and times as words a person would say.\n\n"
     "Your job is to answer callers' questions and to take appointment requests. For a "
     "booking, gather these SIX things naturally as the conversation flows — don't "
     "interrogate, and never ask for something the caller already told you:\n"
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ SYSTEM_PROMPT = (
     "  4. The reason for the visit.\n"
     "  5. Their insurance — ask what insurance they have and simply note it (see the insurance "
     "rule below).\n"
-    "  6. The day and time they prefer (validate the date — see the date rule below).\n"
+    "  6. The day and time they prefer (take it in their own words — see the date rule below).\n"
     "When you have the details, repeat them back in one warm sentence to confirm, and let them "
     "know a staff member will call to finalize the time.\n\n"
     "Stay truthful and within your limits:\n"
@@ -142,14 +141,13 @@ SYSTEM_PROMPT = (
     "Do NOT promise, confirm, or deny coverage or any treatment based on their insurance, even "
     "if the plan is one we list. Always say our staff will verify their coverage when they call "
     "back. Just capture the plan name.\n"
-    "- DATES — always validate against the calendar provided below. Work out the real date the "
-    "caller means and check it. If the weekday and the date they say do not match, or the date "
-    "does not exist, gently correct them and offer the right one, then confirm before booking. "
-    "For example, if they say 'Monday the fifth' but the Monday next month is the sixth, say: "
-    "'Next month, Monday lands on the sixth — would you like to schedule that date?' Never accept "
-    "an impossible or mismatched date silently.\n"
-    "- You cannot see a calendar of openings, so never say a time slot is open or available — "
-    "take the day/time as a request that staff will confirm.\n"
+    "- DATES — just take down the day and time the caller asks for in their OWN words (e.g. "
+    "'next Monday', 'the fifth'). Do NOT work out, state, or correct the calendar date, and NEVER "
+    "argue about what today's date is. Tell them staff will confirm the exact date and time on the "
+    "callback.\n"
+    "- You CANNOT see appointment availability or a schedule of openings. Never say a slot is "
+    "open or available, never offer to 'check availability', and never say you will book or have "
+    "booked anything. Always frame the day/time as a request staff will confirm on callback.\n"
     "- Hours are not published — say they vary by office and staff will confirm; never give "
     "specific hours.\n"
     "- You don't give medical advice and can't transfer calls. If the caller mentions an eye "
@@ -161,25 +159,6 @@ SYSTEM_PROMPT = (
 )
 
 
-def _date_context(now: datetime | None = None) -> str:
-    """Calendar grounding injected per call so the local model can resolve and VALIDATE
-    the dates a caller mentions (e.g. catch 'Monday the 5th' when the Monday is the 6th).
-    Recomputed each call because the server is long-running."""
-    now = now or datetime.now()
-    today = now.date()
-    # 45 days covers 'next month' references for any call date.
-    lines = []
-    for i in range(45):
-        d = today + timedelta(days=i)
-        tag = "  <- TODAY" if i == 0 else ("  <- tomorrow" if i == 1 else "")
-        lines.append(f"  {d.strftime('%A, %B %d, %Y').replace(' 0', ' ')}{tag}")
-    return (
-        "CALENDAR — authoritative, use for EVERY date the caller mentions:\n"
-        f"Today is {today.strftime('%A, %B %d, %Y').replace(' 0', ' ')}.\n"
-        "Upcoming dates:\n" + "\n".join(lines) + "\n"
-    )
-
-
 def _build_tools() -> ToolsSchema:
     # Only the booking action is a tool. Practice facts already live in the system prompt,
     # so no get_practice_info tool (avoids needless calls/latency). callback_number is NOT
@@ -385,8 +364,7 @@ async def run_agent(transport, caller_number=None, call_sid=None, do_capture=Tru
     )))
     heartbeat = AudioHeartbeat()
 
-    # Per-call system message = static prompt + today's calendar + the caller-ID number to
-    # confirm. Built here (not at import) so the date is current on a long-running server.
+    # Per-call system message = static prompt + the caller-ID number to confirm.
     if caller_number:
         caller_line = (
             f"\n\nCALLER ID: the caller's number on file is {caller_number}. Read it back and "
@@ -397,7 +375,7 @@ async def run_agent(transport, caller_number=None, call_sid=None, do_capture=Tru
             "\n\nCALLER ID: no number is available — ask the caller for the best phone number "
             "to reach them."
         )
-    system_content = SYSTEM_PROMPT + "\n\n" + _date_context() + caller_line
+    system_content = SYSTEM_PROMPT + caller_line
     context_kwargs = {"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": system_content}]}
     if ENABLE_TOOLS:
         context_kwargs["tools"] = _build_tools()