‘What’s your call about?’ said the switchboard operator at the Department for the Environment.
‘You don’t need to know that. Just please put me through. They’re expecting me.’
‘But I have to say what your call is about.’
‘Well, my call is about having just spoken to the minister and him not having time to talk to me and telling me to call his office so I can raise some important concerns with his people.’
‘What people?’
‘Well, I don’t know, do I? The people in his office. Look, just put me through.’
‘But I can’t put you through unless you tell me what it’s about.’
‘You have to put me through because I just spoke to the minister and he said to ring his office. I can ring Jim back and tell him you won’t put me through, if you like?’
‘Oh-wuw,’ she said like a petulant child.
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