Not Constantinople
I went to a bookstore today to find a book on Istanbul. I perused the shelves and found nothing on that city nor on its country, so I went up to a very eager-to-help cashier.
Me: “Could you tell me if you have any books on Istanbul?”
Cashier, enthusiastic: “Sure, what’s that you want again?”
Me: “Any books on Istanbul.”
Cashier: “hmmm…”
Me: “You know, Istanbul not Constantinople…”
Cashier: “Oh yeah!”
Me, rythmically: “You know it’s Istanbul not Constantinople…”
Cashier, dubious: “Yeah. umm.”
Me, dubious: “…”
Cashier: “Fiction?”
Me: “No, anything in Travel?”
Cashier: “I’m sorry, is Istan or Bull the last name?”
Me: “…”
Cashier: “…”
Me: ”Istanbul. It’s a city in Turkey”
Cashier: “Sorry. I should have known that.”
Me: “…”
Cashier: “Is Istanbul one word?”
Generation Why indeed.
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3 responses
jon
Comment posted at 06:33 on Monday, March 26, 2007
Why did Constantinople get the works?
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Comment posted at 13:02 on Monday, March 26, 2007
Between this exchange and the one over your name that you had with the tech support people, you’ve got part of a script for a really hilarious short film.
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Comment posted at 18:08 on Friday, April 13, 2007
”….should have known that” ??!!?? At least this person got something right.
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