Many years ago whilst serving as an Apprentice in the local shipyard i became good friends with a fellow Apprentice named Ian Smith. After finishing our term as apprentices we went to work at the Naval Base in Plymouth, we shared a house and done all the usual "lad" stuff, he was without doubt my best mate.
After not seeing or speaking to Ian for some twenty years i was sitting at the end of the bar in my local, the phone was fixed to wall next to me, it rang, the land lord was busy and he motioned to me to answer.
Hello imperial tavern i answered.
The voice on the other end of the line said, is that you mark are you running a pub these days, no i said I'm on the only side of the bar i ever want to be, who is that ...? it's Ian, Ian Smith came the reply.
Now somewhat confused i asked, how did you know i would be here and where did you get the number?
I bumped into Neil (a mutual friend and colleague) and he passed your number onto me he replied.
But I'm not at home, I'm in the pub, what number did he give you?
4561 came the reply.
But my number is 4516 i answered.
I tried to explain to him that he had by some strange coincidence rang my local pub as i happened to be at the bar.
He refused to believe me and accused me of employing a strange avoidance technique and promptly hung up the phone.
I have not heard from or seen him since.
