... The number you have reached...

If you have worked in a large company or building, you know that many of the telephone numbers of different employees are similar. With a little temporary dyslexia, it would be pretty easy to dial up the president of the company when you may be trying to get ahold of someone in the HR department.

Well, Target Field is a large building that is home to several large companies that all have similar telephone numbers. After the (612) area code, the first 5 digits are the same for many people in the ballpark.

One of my fellow vendors didn’t quite reach the right person last week. He picked up the phone to call our vending manager to check on the weather and heard a surprising voice on the other end. Here’s a little of how the conversation went:

Jeff: “Hello, Chris”

Manager: “This isn’t Chris”

(I need to explain that our manager has a good sense of humor, so with Jeff thinking he had dialed the correct number, the boss must be putting him on a bit…)

Jeff: “Right Chris, this is Jeff”

Manager: “No, this isn’t Chris”

Jeff: “Who is this?”

Manager: “This is Ron Gardenhire.”

(Now Jeff really felt like Chris was putting him on)

Jeff: “No c’mon Chris, quit joking around”

Manager (more sternly): “This isn’t Chris, this is Ron Gardenhire”

Jeff; “Seriously... Well how’d I get you?”

Manager (Gardenhire): “I don’t know… The switchboard must have put you through.”

Jeff: “Well what are you doing?”

Gardy: “Just sitting here watching the rain.”

Jeff: “OK, well sorry to bother you.”

Gardy: “No problem.”

Jeff hung up the phone looked at his call record and figured out the 2 digit mistake that crossed up the Target Field Vending Manager with the Minnesota Twins Manager.

The story was a big hit in the locker room that night, and we of course passed around the direct line number for kicks and to all program into our cell phones.

So next time you aren’t happy with the way the Twins are playing and have a suggestion for improvements on the field. Let me know.

Maybe for the right price, I can give you Gardy’s phone number and you can give him a call.