Friday, May 06, 2005

Resolution to Nigerian Story

Part 2

I am happy to report that I seem to have a positive update on the Nigerian situation.

Yesterday, my cell phone rings and the familiar Nigerian number pops up. I decide to let it go to voicemail. The message was much like all the others: confused words that I cannot understand.

Less than five minutes later, the phone rings again. I look at the caller ID and see the Nigerian number and this time I decide to answer.

Me: Hello, this is Doug who has never been to Nigeria.

Nigerian: (long pause) Hallo?

Me: Hello?

Nigerian: Hallo?

Me: Hello!

Nigerian: (Words in language I can't understand. Remember, the official language of Nigeria is English)

Me: You have the wrong number.

Nigerian: Hallo?

Me: Wrong number.

Nigerian: My number is 80380...

Me: (Interrupting) Hold on, I don't need your phone number. Whoever you are trying to call does not live at this number.

Nigerian: OK (Hangs up).

This is the first time I feel like the person on the other end of the phone has even remotely understood what I have tried to tell them.

Progress!

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