102 / 156
104
Telephonist Of
The Town
particularly close, but I knew if I was her I’d be desperate to know
anything that went on behind my back.
The time was 6:00pm. That was when we turned off the telephone
exchange and went home. From the moment I’d heard that
conversation, I felt bad knowing something she didn’t, and so
powerful; like Big Brother. My nosiness once again overruled, and I
confronted her, too foolish to realise what I was about to enter myself
into. ‘Jane,’ I called, running after her as she stepped outside the post
office in her pink heels. ‘Your man called today, line 34. I thought I
would do you a favour and listen to who he was talking to – I’d never
heard of the line 23 before.’
‘What makes you think it is alright to intrude on someone’s
private conversations like that? It’s against our confidentiality policy.’
I could tell Jane got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning,
but I continued in the hope she would appreciate what I was just
about to tell her.
‘Yes, I know it was wrong of me, but you have to understand that
I heard something that you might want to know.’ I continued, ‘He’s
seeingMaggie, she’s new to town, but they have history… he’s keeping
things from you.’ Her reaction just worsened… probably frustrated
and confused about the reality of the situation, and knowing I heard
something that was personal to her. She marched off in a fury.
I woke up to Friday. I only needed to get through this day and
I would be able to enjoy my weekend. As I entered the post office, I
was immediately confronted by the post master, angry as ever. I
knew straight away, without the need for words or an explanation,
that he had found out I had breached the confidentiality rules.
As it can be imagined, that Friday was a quick one in the office,
full of signing papers and lectures by the post master. I could only
think of one thing when leaving the building for the last time; not to
let nosiness and curiosity get in front of wisdom that following
policy is customary no matter what the circumstance.
‘
10