Sometimes It Isn’t So Easy

Scene: I have just called reception to get Shubhangi’s room number at our hotel in Abu Dhabi: 1523. I dial “1-5-2-3″ and get the hotel’s room service. The following ensues:

Me: Hello. I’m trying to reach room 1523.
Room Service (RS): Yes. You just dial it and then the number.
Me: Excuse me? I don’t understand.
RS: You just dial it and then the number.
Me: What do I dial?
RS: It. And then the number: 1523.
Me: Dial what?
RS: You dial it and then the room number you’re trying to reach.
Me: Wait. I dial it? But I just dialed it.
RS: No. You dial it and then the number.
Me: Yes, but what do I dial?
RS: You dial it.
Me: But I just dialed it and I got you!
RS: No, no, no! Dial it. It. It!
Me: What’s it?!
RS: Dial it!
Me: What-
RS: It! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, it!
Me: Eight! Oh my…
RS: Okay? Dial it and then the number.
Me: Yes. Thank you. Goodbye.

And, so the moral of the story is: It isn’t always as easy as it sounds.