Gas and Electric

One call out of a million calls...

Gas and Electric

�Good afternoon, Gas and Electric, Katherine speaking how can I help you today?�

I always started like that, not through choice, we all did, all the phone jockeys. I knew it was a man on the other end even before he spoke, it must have been the way he was breathing.

�What year is it?�

I always put a face to the callers. All I had was their voice but that was enough for my mind to fill in the rest. This man was old, grey hair long and unkempt without anyone to look after it. His voice was breathy, it sounded somehow like he was trying to hide the panic behind it. You would get that a lot with some of the older callers, they would sound panicked, they get nervous at the idea of speaking to a machine then you usually hear the relief as the realise you�re a person. Its usually the older callers that realise you�re a person; most of the others seem to forget that sometimes.

�I apologise, what was that?�

�What year is it?� he said again, this time the panic, rather than fading, drawing up a little higher in his throat, putting the emphasis on every word.

�2008.� I said and, trying to make a joke of it, adding �All year.�

There was a pause; nothing at all came down the line. After years of working the phones you learn to tell the difference between a dead line and a silent room on the other end. He was still there.

�2008?� he said quietly. �Are you sure?�

�Yes sir, can I help you with your gas or Electric problems at all?�

�2008!� he shouted, making my earpiece vibrate against my skin. �2008? No, no how can it be?�

�Look sir, I�m sorry but if you haven�t got a problem with your gas or electricity then I�m afraid I�m going to have to end the call.�

�Afraid? My wife�s not dead.�

�Pardon sir, what was that about your wife.�

�My wife? My wife�s not dead. She died a long time ago but now she�s not dead. I wonder where she is.�

�I�m sorry sir but this is��

�Yes, 2008, 2008!� he interrupted.

�Can you tell me where you�re calling from sir?� I should have put the phone down by now, but something about his voice made me stay on the line.

�Where? I phone box.� Very helpful, I thought. �It didn�t work.�

�What didn�t work sir? The phone box, I can hear you clearly so it seems to be working now.�

�Yes, yes. My son is here.�

�You son? May I speak with him?�

�What?� said that man, confused, as if coming out from a trance. �Do you know his number?� This was going nowhere. I decided to try jogging him memory, it was possible he called for a reason, I mean other than to ask for the year, so I thought it best to try and work it out of him.

�Can you tell me your name sir?�

�My name? Topper, T O double P E R.�

�And can I ask you how old you are Mr Topper?�

�Topper, yes, T O double P E R. I�m 84�or am I 42�? I�m not sure; I think I might be both.�

�What do you mean, you�re not sure?� I asked, trying to make myself sound as helpful as it is possible to sound when asking that question. He started shouting again.

�2008, 2008, YES, YES! I know 2008. I�m 42, 84, I�m both, BOTH.�

�Ok sir, please calm down, their no need to get upset it�s not important.�

�If it�s not important why did you ask it? hmm?� I have to admit, he had me there. �It didn�t work.� He said again.

�I�m sorry sir��

�You�re sorry a lot, what did you do?� he asked, confused again.

�Nothing sir.�

�Well then don�t be sorry. There�s no need to be sorry.�

�Can you tell me what didn�t work?�

�IT! It didn�t work. 2008!� I could tell his panic and anger were rising higher and higher, but he was no longer holding the phone to his mouth. I decided it was time to use a trick I was taught on my first day. It wasn�t something I liked doing to often, but it worked in some of the stranger cases; people getting angry or upset, and this defiantly counted as one of the stranger cases.

�Sir, I know this isn�t very professional, but do happen to know the time?� A very clever trick, as it works on many levels. Some people on the other end of the line usually get distracted by the question, forcing them away from what ever it was that had made them angry or upset. To some people the question made them think that the person on the other end, namely me, had no clue what they were doing which often made them either hang up or ask for a manager, both, in my mind, suitable outcomes as they would no longer be talking to me. To some people it reminded them that there is something else they should be doing, a program to watch or meeting to keep. In most cases, whatever the reason, that question would usually end the conversation.

�Time?� he said, and laughed. �Funny thing.�

There was another pause, but this time the line wasn�t silent. I could hear a buzzing noise coming from the other end.

�It didn�t work.�

�Sir�� the noise was growing louder and he no longer seemed to be holding the phone at all. I heard what sounded like a door opening and closing and the mans voice, muffled, muttering to itself.

�Yes, yes, Gas and Electric, Gas and Electric, 2008, 2008. It didn�t work. 2008. Not right, not right. It didn�t work.�

There was another strange noise that blended seamlessly with the buzzing, but it was lower, like a something large and powerful being turned on.

�It has to work, it has to work. 2008. Not right, not right, to far.�

There was a click. Then there was silence once more. After years of working the phones, you learn to tell the difference between a dead line and a silent room on the other end. He was no longer there.

The phone rang. I answered.

��Good afternoon, Gas and Electric, Katherine speaking how can I help you today?�

I knew it was a man on the other end even before he spoke, it must have been the way he was breathing.

�Hello, yes, I�d like to pay my bill.� Came the voice of a young man, probably with short brown hair and there were voices of young children in the background.

Author's Note

Enjoy

Reviews

[Beth]

Wow - there are so many unanswered questions here. What a way to leave your reader hanging! My imagination ran wild while trying to consider what had happened to the man on the other end of the line... what didn't work? Where was he? What was he trying to do? His son? His wife? You captured the unknown really well here.