[This post originally appeared in Dullicious, where I blogged as Barbie-dull for several years.]
When I was 20 I worked as a switchboard operator in a hospital during the summer vacations. One day as I was done with my shift, I stayed a while longer with the girl who was doing the next shift.
She asked if I would dare take the next call and goof around; I gladly took up the challenge!
I spoke with a fake foreign accent and pretended they were not at all at the hospital.
me: “The rehabilitation centre? no, Sir, not at all.”
them: “Ah. Oh, well, I’m sorry!”
They were about to hang up!
me: “But I’m so glad you called. I don’t have much company, you see…”
My friend was so worried she would get into trouble, that she started to giggle and gesture nervously, and that was contagious.
I became anxious to dispose of that potentially embarrassing call. I don’t recall what the caller next said or how I hung up.
My friend was eager to get back to serious work, and I was not eager to find out whether the caller would redial and speak with her; I was done for the day and darted out back home.