Another Hotel days experience
Our call-us-at-local-rate-from-anywhere phone number was almost, but not quite the same as the Samaritans.

I have nothing but sympathy for people who are at such a low that they need the Samaritans help, and even more for the people who then dial the wrong number.

Most people would go 'Oh. What's the right number?' and that would be that.

Not this one.

'Good evening, Hotel XYZ, Min speaking, how may I help?'

'Hello? Samaritans?' Well plainly, if you'd been listening, no.

'No, I'm sorry you have the wrong number. You need to call 1800-press-the-right-buttons'

'That's what I fucking dialled!' No, it isn't.

(still remarkably polite)'I'm sorry, this is Hotel XYZ, not the Samaritans. You need to dial 1800etc'

'Fuck you. How dare you. I rang the Samaritans and I need to speak to someone.'

(beginning to think this is a wind up)'I'm sorry, you have the wrong number, please dial 1800etc'. Hang up.

Phone rings again 'No, we're not the Samaritans' (Scans in phonebook for alternative number that doesn't closely resemble ours) 'why don't you try number xxx instead'

'What?! I'm not ringing that! That's not a local call it will cost me a fortune!'

She rings back. More of the same. 4 times in the next hour. Every time she rings, the correct number is given to her, and a shitbucket full of abuse is given in return.

I finished the shift shortly after and left the night porter to it. Poor bloke was new, and his english wasn't his first language so her drunken wailings confused him terribly. Possibly not as much as him speaking in Polish confused her though.

Length? I only managed just over an hour but it totalled nearly four, apparently...

*edit: for clarity, as well as some shocking typing.
(minlan no longer barks at bancleys, Tue 9 Sep 2008, 21:37, Reply)