Not Getting Closer To The Solution

(The library does faxes for patrons.)

Librarian: “Okay, what’s the number, sir?”

Patron: “One. Eight.. Oh-oh. Five… Five. … Five… Two… Two.”

Librarian: “I’m sorry, sir, we seem to be missing a digit.”

Patron: “That’s okay. Just write them all together. Closer together, baby.”

Librarian: *staring at sheet of paper* “Write them.closer together?”

Patron: “Uh-huh, like she told me to. 1800552. No spaces or nothin’.”

Librarian: “They’ll all be together when I dial out—”

Patron: “Just try it that way!”

(The librarian, baffled, copies the number on his pad without any spaces at all.)

Patron: “Exactly! It should work now.”

(It didn’t.)