Me: “Thank you for calling reception. How may I help?”

Guest: *in heavily accented English* “The phone is not working!”

Me: “I beg your pardon, sir, but the phone does seem to be working as you are calling me on it.”

Guest: “No! The phone is not working!”

Me: “The phone is definitely working sir. If you would like an outside line, dial 9.”

(I hear button being pressed.)

Me: “No, not when you’re on the phone to me. You need to hang up and then press 9.”

Guest: “Wait, I’ll get my wife.”

(There’s a brief pause. His wife gets on the phone.)

Wife: “The phone is not working!”

Me: “The phone is working, madam. You need to hang up, then pick up again and press 9.”

Wife: “But the phone is not working!”

Me: “Did you try the international dialling code?”

Wife: “No! The phone is not working–and my hair is wet!”

Me: “I’m sorry?”

Wife: “The hair-phone! The hair-phone is not working!”

Me: “Do you mean hairdryer?”

Wife: “Yes! The hairdryer is not working!”

Me: “Okay. I’ll send someone up.”