Posted to (St. Paul Pioneer Press) Bulletin Board, October 3, 2002
Back to: Grab Bag
Come again? An episode of creative hearing reported by Poet X of Portland, Oregon:
"Last week, taking truck orders to post to Web sites and a database, I asked the caller: 'Where's the load going to?'
" 'Only Illinois' was the response I heard.
" 'For a search,' I said, 'we can post just a state or region, but for a posting we need a specific city.'
" 'Only Illinois.'
" 'Should I put down Chicago? Something from the middle of the state?'
" 'Only Illinois.'
" 'I need a city, sir.'
"As soon as he began to spell, 'O … L …,' I recalled the place he'd been saying all along: Olney, Illinois. I'm not likely to forget soon what state that city is in!"
