Horizon

Escape-A-Date

Cingular Wireless has this service that allows you to receive at a pre-ordained time a recorded call to enable you to schedule a "rescue" phone call at a pre-set time.

As my high school biology teacher was fond of saying, this reminds me of a story. Or two.

I once went out on what I thought was a date with the rather attractive receptionist where I once worked about seven years ago. She had a friend meet us there--the sort of friend who suddenly makes everything about herself and her dramas. Eventually, the friend left. I took my receptionist date somewhere for dinner. Just before we ordered, like clockwork, Ring, ring, it's the friend. She needs my receptionist date. It's an emergency. One had the sense with her everything was an emergency. But my receptionist date, sadly, had to go.

It wasn't until I got home that my flatmate pointed out the whole thing was likely set up. Subsequent evidence seemed to bear this theory out. I've been kind of stupid like that for most of my life.

Not that I haven't done the same thing. When I lived in Britain, I once went out to a friend's house in Ladbroke Grove--miles from where I lived-- and quickly discovered said friend had intentions I did not reciprocate. I called my flat and got my best friend, Rob, on the other line. We had friends of ours flying in to see us the next day.

"Hey Rob it's Graeme."
"Hey Graeme, what's up."
"Not much. Just wondering if you've heard from Den and Christine"
"Nope."
"Have they called?"
"Ummmm...do you need me to say that they have called to get you out of something?"
(chirpily) "Yeah."
"Oh. Well, Dennis and Christine called.."
"What's up with them?"
"I don't know. I'm making this up so you can get out of something."

The genius of what Cingular has done is that now you needn't bring in third party into your life's dramas. That should be their slogan, perhaps: "No more heroics by friends".

Posted by Graeme Burk at August 4, 2004 06:36 AM