'Love me do.' says Sofija.
'Yellow Submarine.' retorts Mama triumphantly.
I can remember my mum and my sister playing this game ever since I was little. Mum grew up with the Beatles and as a result my sister and I grew up with them too. Sofija went through a very dedicated stage of Beatledom when she was a teenager and I'm always left surprised and deeply impressed when she wins the game, the aim of which is to know the most Beatles songs.
Never am I game enough to try and join in even though they urge me to, and every year I'm glad for my choice. I don't know how I'd ever live with the shame of shouting out 'I am a rock!' like I did when I was 12. My sister has been patiently pointing out the difference between The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle to me since my early days but I don't think it will ever be clear in my mind.
When I heard on the radio today that if you were the 10th caller during The Beatles song - 'A Day In The Life' you could win a car I felt like I'd been preparing for this one moment my whole life. I listened to 7 songs go by angrily dismissing them as 'Bah, Blondie!' etc. until sweaty palms slipping off the steering wheel I realised that this was actually going to happen to me.
I was listening to the old person radio station and knew that of course I could get in to be the 10th person. I had the advantage of knowing how to use a phone at least didn't I? The problem I was struggling with was whether I'd call and make the mistake of being faster than the 10th caller.
The realisation that I pretty much was going to get a new car made me pull over so I could google the number for the radio station. When 3 songs later 'A Day In The Life' came on I was ready. I rang and got the busy signal enough times that when it finally started ringing I was convinced that I must have gotten through, that because I was caller number 10 it was allowing the dial tone to change.
'Hello, Gold 104.3 how can I help you?'
'Uhm, you just played The Beatles' I say, quickly, trying to contain my excitement.
'Yes...and how can I help you?' she says.
'Well, I was hoping I was caller number 10...' I say, voice quivering.
I held my breath expecting her to say something like...
'Why, you're right, I did play it didn't I? Luckily you called to point that out to me, you seem pretty smart. Hey, seeing as you're so smart and fast at dialling, would you know per chance what I could do with THIS BRAND NEW CAR???!!!!'
I'd then calmly say I did know what to do with it and that I'd gladly take it off her hands, a witty enough response that her producer would call me back after the segment and offer me a job during the 4-6 timeslot.
Instead she said ' Oh, you've called Admin. You want the competition line.'
'...' This is where I did my own version of The Sound of Silence (The Beatles, right?).
'...are you still there? Would you like the competition number?' She said kindly.
'It's too late.' I said. She was nice enough to just hang up and not try to comfort me, because obviously I was beyond consoling.
I've been replaying the scenario over in my head since this afternoon and I'm 100% sure that the time lapse between the start of the song and the woman answering the phone was the perfect amount of time for me to be caller number 10.
And well...JUST GIVE ME THE FUCKING CAR ALREADY.
Life is pretty much not fair at all I think.
Love Nani x
