Trying to Call My House

I wanted to make a call from St. Louis to New York to speak with Ranjana, who was working in my house. Unfortunately, I forgot my own area code. It was 212 for so many years. Now it is 718. So I said, "It is either 718 or 708."

The man who was the operator said, "It is quite interesting that you do not know your own area code." He asked me where in New York I live.

I said, "Queens."

"Queens?" he asked. He could not understand me.

I said, "The feminine of king. You are correcting my pronunciation and I am teaching you a little grammar."

Then, for the number, I said "291" and the other numbers, but he dialled "219". I repeated the number. He tried once more and this time Ranjana answered the phone.

He could tell that I do not make many calls to my own house!

28 June 1987 St. Louis