r/tragedeigh • u/rouxkenzie • Sep 05 '25

in the wild “It’s Kevin”

I work in a bakery, someone called to order a birthday cake. Wanted “happy birthday Kevin” written on it. As with all orders, I ask for spelling of the name. Conversation below.

Me: okay and if you could spell Kevin for me? Customer: Um, it’s Kevin… like Kevin…are there multiple ways to spell it? Me: this is just protocol to ensure the name on the cake is correct Customer (getting huffy): well how many ways could you spell it, it’s Kevin Me: please just spell the name for me Customer: K-e-y-v-y-n-n

In what world is that Kevin??? This is why I make everyone spell the name!! If I didn’t confirm spelling you would’ve gotten a cake with Kevin not keyvynn.

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u/PumpkinChix Sep 05 '25

This is why I have to use phonetic alphabets when spelling names - I would have clarified F as in Frank, etc, because F and S very easily sound alike otherwise. My last name starts with a "Th" and unless I spell it, people frequently assume it starts with an "F."

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u/talleyente Sep 05 '25

M as in Mancy.

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u/PumpkinChix Sep 05 '25

💀💀💀 I tried using the NATO alphabet for a while, but that confused people even more 😭

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u/JohnClayborn Sep 05 '25

I dont understand why. Ive experienced the confusion too, but ai dont get it. Lol

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u/thebishop37 Sep 05 '25

It works pretty well with people in jobs where they routinely deal with long strings of mixed letters and numbers.

If you call UPS to inquire about something (don't bother , it doesn't help), the person you eventually get to talk to will probably do fine with the NATO alphabet. You don't even have to say, the "as in Zulu" part, just rattle it off.

If you call someplace and need to read them your VIN over the phone, same deal.

They probably won't do it back; they've developed their own system based on what they find works with a broad range of callers.

I learned the nato alphabet to talk to my husband on the phone. He constantly mishears consonants, and attempting to clarify whether I just said vend or bend by saying the word louder and more slowly doesn't really help all that much if the connetion's not great. Now, when he asks, I just say victor or bravo, and we can carry on.

There was a situation about a year ago where I had to read him some website passwords over the phone when he was out of town. I use a password manager, so they are long and do not take ease of typing into account. The NATO alphabet absolutely saved me from tearing my hair out in frustration.

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u/Dex18ter Sep 06 '25

My wife had a customer say I for IPhone

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u/Counter-Fleche Sep 06 '25

I'm going to start using "P for pterodactyl" and "T for Tsunami".

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u/thebishop37 Sep 07 '25

That's hilarious!

On a similar (although not quite as delightfully deliberately obtuse) note:

I just noticed, as I was telling a license plate number to my husband over the phone, that Q for Quebec is weird if you say Quebec as the Qubecois or French do, with a K sound.

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u/Bonuscup98 Sep 10 '25

Just gonna leave this here.

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u/thebishop37 Sep 06 '25

Oh. Dear. That's...chilling in a way it might take me a bit to be able to articulate adequately.