March 4, 2009

  • Meet the old boss; same as the old boss


    I'd like to take a moment to discuss a certain interesting human phenomenon known as The Drunk Dial

    I received one of those last night.  It was an old boss of mine.  Phone rang at around 12:30 AM.  

    "ED!  It's [name withheld]!" 

    He said he he needed help.  I left that line alone.  

    I think what he was trying to say was the he was looking for an editor, but he was also trying to tell me that, A) he has a nine-year old kid. "Did you know I have a nine-year-old kid?" I knew. B) still makes love to his wife "once in a while" and C) still owes mega-money from the bankruptcy of his company and D) he quit smoking pot and E) "DO YOU WANT TO WORK?"

    This was one of the best drunk dials I've received in quite a while.  I was able to keep the slurred verbal exchange interesting by deftly changing subjects and keeping him off-balance.  The key here is to stay on the offense; don't let him work you in a corner with personal assaults.  Remember, HE'S the drunk.  Boy do I wish I was rolling tape on this.

    And man, I thought this call was going to go on forever.  Topics ran the gamut from professional ("I'm working for two Chinese guys."), to the personal ("Do your kids LIKE you? I mean really LIKE you?"). 

    Normally I don't suffer drunks gladly, but since this was over the phone and I had nothing better to do at 12:30 AM, I found myself almost enjoying it.

    The call came to a quick conclusion; my cordless made the decision for me.

    "Hey my phone is dying, man.  I'm gonna get cut off.  I don't want you to think I'm hanging up on you."

    "Yeah yeah F you."

    CLICK

    Boy, I wonder who he called next.  
    Hey, maybe I should give him your number. 

    Need work?

                                                                             ----Ed Kaz

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