Missing Pole

So much to report.

The headline of course is that last week our Pole (Ted) didn't come home for two nights in a row. One night, not so odd. Two nights, very odd. So on Thursday morning I phoned his work to make sure he had been showing up. Here's how the conversation went:

9:45 a.m.

Erika: "Hello Zizzi, Erika speaking, how can I help you?"

A-L: "Hi. I have kind of an odd question. My 30-year-old flatmate, Ted, hasn't been home in two days and I just wanted to make sure he's been at work. Because his mother is in Poland, so I'm pretending to be his mother."

Erika: "Oh, actually, he fell at work two days ago and he's in the hospital. Is there anything else I can help you with? Do you want to know our lunch special?"

A-L: "umm, what? He fell? He's in the hospital? Does his wife know? Is he badly hurt? Is he ok? What hospital is he in?"

Erika: "I don't know. Sorry, that's all the information I have. Our special is spinach and chicken pizza. Would you like to book a table?"

A-L: "You don't know what hospital he's in?? Who does know? Where can I find out??"

Erika: "One of the Polish chefs might know. Can you call back at 10?"

A-L: "I suppose."

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At 10 I phoned back.

Erika: "Hello Zizzi, this is Erika speaking, how can I help you?"

A-L: "Hi, this is Ted's flatmate again. Do you have any more information?"

Erika: "Yes, apparently he had an operation yesterday."

A-L: "Where? What operation?"

Erika: "I'm sorry, that's all the information I have. We have lovely views from our restaurant of the water."

A-L: "WELL WHO DOES KNOW WHAT HOSPITAL HE'S IN? CAN I HAVE THE NUMBER TO YOUR HEAD OFFICE?"

Erika: "I'll speak to our operations manager and phone you back."

Turns out Ted fell down the staircase at Zizzi while carrying plates, and his arm landed on the broken crockery, which severed something blood-filled in his arm. So he had an operation on Wednesday, and didn't come home because he couldn't remember our phone number, and it was too far to walk. Bless.

He's home now, recovering. And doing well. In fact, he went to the hospital this morning to have the stitches removed.