It is the birthday of a dear friend in the US today. I wanted to call him to wish him, and discovered that I am yet to activate ISD calling facility on my cellphone. (Anyone remember trunk calls? Fabulous fun those were). Anyway, I call up my local provider to request them to activate the same so that I could call my friend to wish him. Provider asks me as to which country I wish to call, so that he may inform me of the rates before hand itself.
BIG MISTAKE!!!
I tell him, I want to call the US.....he tells me the rate. Then I ask about the rate to Australia (the other country where all ditcher friends have gone), he tells me the rate. This is where the evil in me decides to point its ears up like a dog that had heard something in the distance.
"So, how much to Azerbaijan?"
"Sir it costs...."
"What about Bolivia?"
"Sir it costs...."
"And the rates to Burkina Faso?"
"What sir? where is that?"
"Never mind... what about Sudan?"
"Sir it costs...."
"Are the rates to Laos and Chad the same?"
" Erm...wait sir....let me check."
(Annoying call waiting tune plays)
*Click*" Sir, the prices are different...they cost...."
"And what about Columbia?"
"Sir....is this for official purpose? We have special plan for corporate users who have heavy ISD calls"
" No...I don't do business with the Columbians."
"Anything else I can help with sir?"
(I've gotten bored with myself by this time) "Haan....last place, Canary Islands...how much to call there. We want to set up an office there."
"Sir...where is that place?"
"Leave it man.... Just enable ISD on my phone now."
Comments
"I'd like to know the ISD calling rates to UK."
"A foot and an ear"
"Oh I see and how about a landline? I'll be dialing a landline in London"
"London country rates I have to check Madam, please hold the line"
"Erm...it's in Eng..." and already the stale Rehman number was playing.