CLOSE CALL: Carol Hoffman’s phone call to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City, began seriously enough, but quickly evolved into geographical farce.
“I called to order an engagement calendar, and the woman on the phone was very nice,” says Hoffman, who has lived in Albuquerque for 56 years. “We chatted about weather and the season, then I began giving her information: credit card, address, zip, and state.”
But the museum representative’s first response was a head turner: “And what country is that?”
Hoffman was dumbfounded. “The USA.”
“Really?” said the rep.
“Yes. It’s down by Arizona.”
“Really?”
“Yes—it holds Arizona and Texas apart.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really!” And Hoffman, thoroughly annoyed, hung up. She never received her calendar. “Maybe it was the foreign postage that created the problem.”