28 January, 2006

Sorry, Wrong Number

Now, here's an odd one, from Friday, 9 July, 1999, inspired by a post from David Bailey, who was working on the official Star Wars mag at the time:

Gary Russell once told me about his first week at "Inside Soap" magazine. We all think that fandom is full of spods, but their rwaders are MUCH scarier. Gary took a call from someone calling the magazine saying "I want to speak to Sally".
When Gary told the caller there was no such person there, she continued: "But I *have* to speak to her - she needs to know what Kevin's doing behind her back!!" Then Gary realised that the caller was referring to Sally Webster, ex-wife of Kevin Webster, residents of Coronation Street!

I'm sure David's never had to take a call from someone wanting to speak to Jar-Jar Binks (though who, in their right mind, would want to?). Though it's possible Gary might have taken calls from someone wanting to speak to "Doctor Who". F*ckin' looneys.

Whereas I often take calls from people wanting to speak to "Ahkmet in ward 12". I tell them "He's not here," and they start crying in the mistaken belief that their relative died overnight. I have to explain that this is Sony and they've called 0171 instead of the hospital which is 0181. Sheesh.


What's odd about this is, only last night I told someone about poor Ahkmet, but said that happened to a friend. So for once I didn't appropriate someone else's anecdote as one of my own.

What's also odd is I now live in a different flat and work in a different company, but I still get wrong numbers for the hospital - this time it's 0208 instead of 0203 for the hospital.

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