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I have had some absolute corkers during my time in various jobs, but my personal favourite was so left field that I still dine out on it now.

I was working for a mass-recruitment organisation as an interviewer - let's call them Catflap Solutions (not their real name) - the work was dull and hard (we were expected to speak to at least 50 candidates a day) and the boss was on a power trip.

On one particular job, the calls were incoming, which actually made life a little less stressful. My telephone rang and the conversation went something like this:

Caller: Hello, is that Catflap Solutions?

Me: Yes it is, good morning, how may I help you?

Caller: Oh good. Can you tell me, can I order a pair of sandals over the telephone?

Me: Um...this is Catflap Solutions. We're a recruitment company, I think you may have the wrong number.

Caller: Oh no, I wanted to speak to you. Can I order a pair of sandals over the telephone?

Me: I'm sorry, we aren't a catalogue company, we're a recruitment organisation. Who did you wish to speak to?

Caller: No, I have the right number. Can I order a pair of sandals over the telephone?

I think I was justified in my response...

Me: I believe you can, yes.

And I put the phone down. To this day, none of my friends and family will admit to playing a trick, and when I checked the phone logs that evening, the number was from a part of the UK where I actually don't know anyone.

I just hope they got their sandals eventually.

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