Patek Philippe

"Who's this?" asked the voice on the other end of the line after the phone rang in my (junior) suite.

"I am the gentleman who answered your call this end. Who may I say is calling?"

"I need to speak to Ray Shosay," he said, ignoring my question.

"Then you have succeeded beyond all expectation."

"What?"

"Who are you and why are you calling?"

"Who am I? I'm a fact checker for an entertainment journalist."

"My dear fellow, it is well established that journalists never check facts and the existence of entertainment journalists has yet to be proven out."

"What?"

"Your credibility is lacking," I told him.

"I'm a fact checker for an entertainment journalist," he repeated, returning to what he considered to be solid ground.

"I think there's an echo on this line. Could you please hang up and try again?"

I disconnected the line and turned my attention back to the representative from the Patek Philippe Salons at Place Vendôme who had come to deliver my new 5004J chronograph and to explain in detail its many complications, which include rattrapante split seconds and moon phase functions. He, it goes without saying, knew how to introduce himself when he rang my room from the lobby.