That’s What I Zed!

(I’m not sure if other countries do it the same way, but in Canada we pronounce the letter Z like “zed,” unlike Americans who pronounce it like “zee.” I am on the phone with a company to verify a customer’s cheque, not knowing that I’m speaking to someone out of the country.)

Teller: *after I’ve spelled something with the letter Z in it, pronouncing the letter like “zed”* “Can you repeat that for me?”

(I spell the word again.)

Teller: “I don’t know what you’re saying. Can you spell it again?”

(I spell it again.)

Teller: “What’s that one letter?”

Me: “Which letter?”

Teller: “Uh, just spell the word again.”

Me: “Okay.”

(I spell it again.)

Teller: *spells the word up until the Z* “What letter comes after that?”

Me: “Zed.”

Teller: “What?”

Me: “Zed.”

Teller: “What?”

Me: “Zed.”

(I’m getting frustrated at this point, because there is no other letter in the alphabet that sounds like zed, so I don’t understand why he’s confused.)

Teller: “I don’t know what you’re saying.”

Me: “Zed. I’m saying zed.” *then it occurs to me* “Um… zee?”

Teller: “Oh. Okay. I was confused because zed isn’t a letter.”

Me: “Yes, it is. Zed’s a letter.”