Latest
02:10 PM
Bikram Vohra
JournalismPakistan.com
February 23, 2015
Of the many things that drive me nuts is people who refuse to accept they have dialled a wrong number.
Can I speak to Walid?
You can but not on this number, he isn’t here.
Where has he gone?
Sorry, what I meant is, there is no Walid here, you have the wrong number.
Silence.
Then:
Isn’t that 344xxxxx?
Yes, it is.
So give me Walid (as if this sort of command will ensure action).
I would if I had him. I just told you there is no Walid here.
But this is the number he gave me.
This is said in accusatory tone, as if in some way, I am to blame.
I am sorry, you have the wrong number.
This is not Walid Taufiq?
As if adding the surname sort of changes the dynamics and now there is a real chance that the gentleman might materialize.
No, it is not, it is residence in which there are no Walids, young, old or middle aged.
Now, he goes off the line to debate the merits of this impasse with people on his side of the line and you can hear these voices engaged in the discussion.
Finally, they have come to some sort of solution so he comes back on line and says, what about Rafiq?
What about Rafiq?
Is Rafiq there?
No, there is no Rafiq here?
You sure.
Yes, I am sure, it is my home, I have a fair handle on who is in my home.
This is not Walid’s house.
No.
I have the wrong number?
Uh huh (good guess, mate).
He disconnects as if I was giving him the go round and he wasn’t convinced.
Dollars to doughnuts, one minute later the phone rings again. Is Walid there?
(The writer is a Senior Editorial Advisor of Khaleej Times and the paper’s former Editor. He has also been the Editor of Gulf News, Gulf Today, Emirates Today and Bahrain Tribune)
If my call is so important to them, why don’t they answer it for 22 minutes?
How come when I want to, but something specific online is the only item out of stock.
When I get into a queue or lane going fast, the moment I get in, it becomes the slowest and refuses to budge.
Read more... | Archives