British Comedy Guide

Cancellation

FX – PHONE DIALLING/RINGING

CUSTOMER SERVICES 1
Good morning, you're through to the customer services helpline. My name is Julia, how may I be of service to you this morning?

TOM
Hello there, I'd like to cancel my--

FX - THE LINE INSTANTLY BLEEPS AS IT THE CALL IS DIVERTED. IT BEGINS RINGING AGAIN.

TOM
Hello?

FX - AFTER A FEW RINGS THE CALL IS ANSWERED. THE CONNECTION IS BAD - LOTS OF STATIC AND THE SOUND OF SQUABBLING AND ARGUING IN THE BACKGROUND WITH THE OCCASIONAL COW MOOING.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Yes?

TOM
Yes, hello. I'd like to cancel my subscription to--

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Name?

TOM
My name is Tom--

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Spell please.

TOM
Spell Tom? It's as it sounds really.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Spell please.

TOM
Okay, it's T.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
D…..

TOM
No, T... T for tango. I think that's the call sign for T isn't it? Tango?

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Tango.

TOM
As in the dance. Oh, and the orange... you know, the fizzy drink?

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Ah, coca -cola!

TOM
Like coca cola... but orangey. Is this helping at all?

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Spell please?

TOM
Right, so it's T.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
T for tango.

TOM
Yes. Wait - how many T's do you have now? It's just one T.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
T for tango.

TOM
Yes then an O

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
N, O...

TOM
No. No N, There's no N. Just T for Tango then O for... I don't know, orange

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Fizzy tango!

TOM
Yes! I mean no. Not tango this time. Look, is there someone else I can speak to? What happened to Julia?

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
T, O....

TOM
Yes, that's right. Then M.

PAUSE

TOM
M.

PAUSE

TOM
Hello?

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Hello.

TOM
Yes, it's M.

PAUSE

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
You are forgetting your name?

TOM
No, it's M! The letter M. M for... making this as difficult as bloody possible.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Tom.

TOM
Yes! Thank you. Now I'd like to cancel my subscription to...

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Mr. Tom, what is your first name please?

TOM
Tom is my first name.

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Mr. Tom Tom?

TOM
Tom McMenamin. My name is Tom McMenamin and I want to cancel my subscription. Is that so hard to understand?

PAUSE

CUSTOMER SERVICES 2
Spell mehmehmehmeh please.

TOM
Do you know what - forget it.

END

Is it a subscription to National Geographic?

This is amusing in a grim recognition sort of way, and would probably work in a sitcom type setting, but I am not sure it stands up as a sketch, at least not with that ending.

Agree with Timbo here. Not strong enough by itself, but good as a longer narrative.

The Tango/Coca-Cola joke is tenuous though. I'd lose that one.

Dan

Sorry, Bo, but it's pretty stock. I reckon RFTP will have a pile of these six foot high.

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