Strange Call(s)

Working in a small town bar offers numerous opportunities to be enlightened or stupidified by the stories and anecdotes of our fellow man. Plenty of conversations at the bar have left Mike and Melissa shaking their heads in wonder, dismay or shock. (Don't get us wrong, plenty of conversations add to the beauty of humanity as well, but those stories aren't quite as entertaining.) However, it isn't everyday that multiple phone calls end up being the primary source of confusion. Yet, Saturday, November 28th, provided a most memorable series of phone calls to The Burlington Place that left Melissa shaking her head and Mike rolling his eyes.

 

Call One.

Melissa: The Burlington Place, this is Melissa.

Female Caller: Hi Melissa, do you have spaghetti sauce?

M: Uhm...we have pizza marinara...?

F.C.: Oh...well...is this not the store?

M: Nope, this is the pizza place in town.

F.C.: Do you have the number for the store?

M: I don't know it off the top of my head, let me ask...

 

Call Two.

Melissa: The Burlington Place, this is Melissa.

Male Caller: Hi, can you tell me what's on tap tonight?

M: As in, what we have for beers on tap? (because this could also be understood as a question regarding whether or not we were hosting some kind of event on a Saturday night, right?)

M.C. Yeah.

M: Uhm, well we have Atlantic City Gold, Saddle Bronc Brown and Black Butte Porter.

M.C. Okay.

M: Are you planning on coming out for a cold one or coming with a group for dinner?

M.C.: Oh, coming with a group.

M: Well, we recommend calling ahead if you plan on dining in.

M.C.: Okay, thanks.

(Follow up; no groups came in that were particularly concerned with our tap selection)

 

Call Three.

Melissa: The Burlington Place, this is Melissa.

Male Caller: I'm calling about the crow hunt.

M: Okay (lots of ensuing conversation about the details, how to pay, how to participate, did you know the number on the poster is wrong - why yes I did, good for you for Googling, etc)

M.C.: Well, I thought maybe there was just one farmer who hosted the event in the field, you know so everyone can have the same opportunity, so it'd be more about shooting skill.

M: Well, generally people just get permission to shoot wherever, some take it pretty seriously with calls and decoys, others just want to drive around and shoot at shit every once in a while.

M.C.: Chuckles, okay, well we'll call later this week and let you know if we're in.

M: Sounds good, thanks.

(Follow-up: Melissa is relating the conversation to Mike and patrons, because she doesn't know a lot about crow hunting, but is pretty sure being in the same field would yield about 20 minutes of shooting opportunity before all the crows would wise up and leave that field for the day or season. Mike reflects on the phone conversation and concludes, if we hosted the event in that way, it'd likely be a skeet shoot...not a hunt

Note, we understand where the caller was coming from and his desire to have access to a place with plentiful crows, equal opportunity, less opportunity for cheaters to cheat, etc - Just not sure how that would play out in real life.)

 

Call Four.

Melissa: The Burlington Place, this is Melissa.

Caller (soon to be identified): Is Mike there?

Melissa: Mike Harrington?

Caller: Yes.

Melissa: He sure is, is this Tom?

Caller: Yes. (mumbles about the IRS or some such thing while Melissa hands off the phone to Mike)

Mike and Tom: Back and forth conversation of this sort

T: Blair's has Bourbon County Stout, why didn't I see Bourbon County Stout at your Place?

M: We have it too.

T: Why didn't I get some? You're a bad salesman.

M: We have it, I'll make sure you get some.

(Continued on and on with plenty of accusations, chuckles, "apologies" and promises of letting the crow counting judge have one for his services next weekend.)

Generally speaking, phone conversations at The Burlington Place are pretty straight forward:

1). Are you open/what are your hours?

2). We'd like to make a reservation for _____ people at _____ o'clock

3). I'd like to place an order for pick-up

So, having this series of phone calls, in one day is absolutely out of the norm, but good for a few chuckles nonetheless!

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