Visiting techie on phone: What's wrong with the clock? Is it plugged in? Well, move the fridge then… I can, but I'm two-and-a-half hours away…
Texas
Visiting techie on phone: What's wrong with the clock? Is it plugged in? Well, move the fridge then… I can, but I'm two-and-a-half hours away…
Texas
Woman on phone to cable company: Okay. Hey, hold on a sec. (yells into the phone) Don't go meet him, he's gonna stab you! I know he stabbed your brother, that's why I think he's gonna stab you too! (pause) Fine! if you want to get stabbed don't come crying to me. Just make sure you bring your phone so you can call 911, okay? Sorry about that…now what do I do next?
Call center rep: Uhh, I think I need to report this call.
Woman: Why?
Time Warner Call Center
Albany, New York
Overheard by: Dani
Manager on phone with refrigeration company: That oven that never comes on but is always on? It didn’t come on.
Answering service: Would you please repeat that?
Manager: You know, that oven that never comes on but is always on? Well, it didn’t come on.
Answering service: Thank you, sir. I’ll let the service rep know.
Restaurant, Slide Road and Loop 289
Lubbock, Texas
Manager, yelling slowly into phone: It’s a little wet, but it’s wild.
Auckland
New Zealand
Gorgeous admin on phone with employee, while looking for e-mail: Oh, I just found it… It went straight to my junk!
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Overheard by: Wish I Was That Email
Camp coordinator on cell with staff: So wait… They took your shoes and started chewing on them? (pause) But are your shoes okay now? (pause) Well, that's good then, at least. Sometimes I wonder why I work with children.
Ontario
Canada
Overheard by: Camp really is a magical place…
Sales rep on cell: I hope it's not your spleen! Okay, gotta go, Chinese food is here.
Newton, Massachusetts
Overheard by: Well they DO make great orange chicken…
Operator: Thank you for calling Bayshore Medical Insurance*; how can I assist?
Caller: So who are you?
Operator: We’re an insurance company.
Caller: And what do you do?
Operator: We help you with your insurance.
Caller: I don’t understand.
Operator: Well, your boss gives you benefits for working there, and our job is to help you use your benefits.
Caller: I don’t have any benefits! I never signed up for this! Did my boss tell you to call me? Is he trying to set me up? Who told you to call me?
Operator: Sir, you called me.
Market Street
San Francisco, California
Overheard by: The Man
Guy on phone waiting for other end to pick up: If I’m going to get caught embezzling, it’s not going to be at a nonprofit– [other end picks up] –Hi, Deborah*!
San Francisco, California
