Saturday, April 12, 2008

Will the real Steve please stand up

Something very surreal happened this morning. 'Steve' phoned to say that he couldn't make it. We chatted for about 10 to 15 minutes about all kinds of things and then I put the phone down. As I shut off the phone, Jan, who was sitting nearby, said 'which Steve was that?' In a blinding flash of comprehension I realised that I'd been talking to one Steve, thinking that I was talking to the other.
Yesterday I'd invited Steve H to dinner and invited Steve G to play tennis. In the seconds before the incoming phone call I'd been thinking that it was a bit windy to play tennis, and for that reason, when I answered the phone I thought that I was talking to Steve G, and carried on the conversation appropriately.
In the split second that you adjust to a voice I even considered that Steve G had a very similar voice to Steve H. The caller also mentioned his dog called Rolf and I thought, "Bloody hell, they've both got a dog called Rolf."
Anyway with the benefit of hindsight I had this bizarre conversation with the 'wrong person' and most of the words seemed to fit in place. I still didn't twig when the conversation got round to BA. I though, one works for BA and one obviously flies at lot with BA. How stupid can you get?
Even when I mentioned the wind, Steve G (actually Steve H who was coming to dinner) thought that we were going to eat outside. There were so many obvious clues and I still didn't twig. I'd got it into my head that I was talking to one person and couldn't shake off that belief. Maybe it's the feminine side of me coming out! (That was uncalled for - Ed)
Very strange. Steve H, I sincerely apologise. Jan giggled away for hours afterwards.
Interestingly on the news this morning they mentioned a one stop injection for Alzheimers.
Later in the morning, at the market in Sommieres, I met Steve G who said that he couldn't make the tennis. Bloody hell, turned down by two Steves in one day! Spooky!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Don't worry Alex, we can reschedule!
Steve (but which one...?)

Rosemary in Utah said...

This is the funniest thing I've read in a long time--thanks, Mr. Hampshire!