The other day I was at work receiving an order when the phone rang. The phone rings all the time here, so that was hardly a surprise. The surprise was the little voice on the other end.
I answered the phone like I always do, “Flying Pig Bookstore.” I heard nothing but breathing. Something told me that this was not a dirty call, but rather someone small who wasn’t quite used to the phone. I said, “Hello. This is the Flying Pig Bookstore.” Then this little voice piped up and said, “Hello.” I asked if he needed anything and he said, “I’m just calling the Flying Pig.” I was puzzled why a small child, who couldn’t have been more than four, was calling the bookstore.
I asked if his mom was around. I heard bemused giggling as his mother came to the phone. She said this was her son’s first phone call. Somehow he figured out how to call us (I suspect from seeing the number on a tote bag at home) and just wanted to say hi to his favorite place. I was laughing and so touched by this little guy’s desire to call us. In the 16 years we’ve been in business I can safely say that a toddler has never purposely called us. How that little guy figured it out is wonderful.
So now for sure, when I hear heavy breathing on the line, I’ll just say, “Are you calling the bookstore again?”