---
id: 2026-01-02T19:21:00-0500
title: 2026-01-02 19:21:??
tags:
daily: "[[2026-01-02]]"
---
# 2026-01-02 19:21:??

Without apparent prompt I was reminded of a practical joke
that my fellow apprentice Joe used to play often
that never failed to get a laugh out of me:

Mid-conversation Joe would stop suddenly,
search in his pockets or tool belt,
pull out a random object (usually his lineman's pliers),
and act as if he had received a phone call on it.
Often the other party had apparently dialed in error,
and Joe would say, "Hello?... Hello?"
before deciding they'd hung up.
Other times he'd step away (only one step)
and have whole conversations.

Try as I might have,
I could never pull it off like he could.
