Please learn basic US geography (kinda long)

[InsanityInc]

I work for a national hotel chain. I make reservations over the phone for guests, and after almost 2 years there, I thought that I had seen all of the depths that customers can sink to. I was soooo wrong. Almost my first call of the day I get this lady on the national 1-800 number who gives me the dates she wants.

M: Me
SC: you know

M: City and State?
SC: New York.

M: New York, NY?
SC: Yes.

So I pull the local hotels, and ask her what she wants.

SC: Oh, I'm going to Wilmington NC. I thought you wanted to know where I live.

Ok, it happens, no big deal. I pull the properties in Wilmington NC.

M: Ok, I have X Hotel. Are you attending a conference or family function?
SC: Yes, we're attending a soccer tournament the next morning. There's a group of rooms. How long will it take me to drive from here to X city in Delaware?
M: (Pulling my jaw off the floor). Ma'am where did they tell you to call for a room?
SC: Oh, X hotel in Wilmington.
M: Ok, you want Wilmington DELAWARE.
I check the hotel in Delaware, and sure enough, there is her group. I keep hearing how lousy most people's knowledge of geography is, but come on, North Carolina and Delaware? If I had been evil, I would've gone ahead and made the reservation in NC. Sure hate to see what would happen if anyone asked her to go to Ottawa. I know of at least 6 cities by that name, including the one in Canada.

[Spiffy McMoron]

At least she made it easy on you-can you imagine how much hair you'd pull out if she'd asked about booking a hotel in Springfield? There's something like 17 states with a Springfield in them.

[tollbaby]

Yeah, but there's only one GOOD Ottawa (and only one that's .. you know... a tourist destination).

/ so says the lifelong native

[protege]

At least she made it easy on you-can you imagine how much hair you'd pull out if she'd asked about booking a hotel in Springfield?

Damn, you beat me to it I'm not sure the planet could handle that one!

[Greenday]

Jackson is another popular one. And then there are Jacksonville's...

[ContraCorriente]

Just giving a shoutout to good ol' Wilmington, NC.

[Jester]

There are lots of city names that are repeated in multiple States.

Portland, Springfield, Clinton, Jackson, Jacksonville, Charleston, Wilmington, Augusta, Ontario, Glendale, Manhattan, Newark, Ocean City, Venice, Hollywood, and on and on.

So can someone please tell me why I have the following conversation with people again...and again....and again?

THEM: "So, where are you from?"
JESTER: "Phoenix."
THEM: "Arizona?"
JESTER:

Folks, I ask you......how many freakin' Phoenixes are there? Huh? Hmmm? I'll tell you......THERE'S ONE!

Yes, there is a tiny little town in Ohio called Phoenix, but if someone says just the word "Phoenix," they don't mean the tiny little town in Ohio by that name....esepcially since none of the people asking the above question have ever heard of said tiny little town in Ohio! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

[Boozy]

Yeah, but there's only one GOOD Ottawa

I second that! I lived there for five years, and I still miss it. I go back and visit every chance I get.

On a related note, I am from small town that has the same name as a huge, famous city in Europe. When I'm asked where I'm from, I have to say this town, and then people start making really lame jokes. This comes on the tail of similar "jokes" about my first name, which as I've said before is the same as a popular 70's sitcom character. People are so annoying.
I'm thinking of just changing my name to Jane and moving to Los Angeles or something.

[Bacter]

Or the classic quote from Dan Quayle "I love California! I practically grew up in Phoenix"

or while we're on the subject, Quayle on his recent trip to Latin America
"I wish I had studied Latin so I could speak with these people"


ohhh... he was a serious contender for president too *siiigh*

[auntiem]

Columbus is the one that gives me grief.
Them "I need to go to Columbus"
Me "Which one?"
Them "You know, Columbus"
Me "I'm sorry, I meant which state?"
Them "Where my sister lives"
Me *sigh*

What's worse is I once had an airline rep ask me why my person couldn't just fly into Spokane instead of Seattle - um, because it is a 6 hr drive over a pass that requires chains in the winter.

[Giggle Goose]

or while we're on the subject, Quayle on his recent trip to Latin America
"I wish I had studied Latin so I could speak with these people"

OK, I really hate to take this , but wow....just wow. Please tell me you aren't serious. Please. Why would you even go somewhere if you don't even know what language they speak??!!!

[Gurndigarn]

Please edit quotes.

Why would you even go somewhere if you don't even know what language they speak??!!!

Because you're the vice president of the United States, and the president of said country told you "Hey, I need you to lay the schmooze on these people."

Mr. Quale was... known... especially in late-night TV... for making some really boneheaded statements. Not that Mr. Gore, his successor, didn't have a few of his own, ones that were even worse in my mind. Just not as consistently.

I think someone learned. We essentially hear Mr. Cheney on the news. And rarely hear of him outside of hunting season.

[Bluenomi]

I must admit my US geography is pretty crap but I don't live there or even in the same hemisphere so I think I'm excused!

[Andara Bledin]

I live near one of the 11 Lakewoods in the US. We've got 32 different Springfields and 2 West Springfields. There are at least 4 Phoenixes (I know my company has a customer in Phoenix, OR that was a new customer last month). We've got 20 Jacksons and 7 more with Jackson in the name, plus 16 Jacksonvilles.

The weather channel's website is great for this sort of thing.

My boss will regularly tell me to book him flights or hotels for places and neglect to provide a state. Usually it's places like Las Vegas or Phoenix (the one in AZ), but sometimes it's places like Monroe (21 of them to choose from).



Fun Fact: We were never in danger of having Quayle as President. While he was the Vice President, it would require that he be voted into office were the president rendered incapable of finishing his term. The Speaker of the House would be next in line.

^-.-^

[Jester]

Fun Fact: We were never in danger of having Quayle as President. While he was the Vice President, it would require that he be voted into office were the president rendered incapable of finishing his term. The Speaker of the House would be next in line.

Either that or if the President were killed.

Which is why many people refer to Dan Quayle as the greatest life insurance policy ever. I mean, think about it...the sniper is lining up his sights on Bush the First, and just as he gets ready to pull the trigger, the thought "President Quayle" flashes through his brain.

Shaking, trembling, gasping for air, he packs up his rifle and goes home.