Every Monday, around noon, one of the editors would ring the phone’s number without knowing who would answer. The goal was to work out during the call - through targeted questions - which UM student or staff member had taken the phone home. The idea was inspired by Dutch radio DJ Giel Beelen, who used his “Giel mobile” to call Dutch celebrities and guess who was on the line.
The Observant version resulted in a variety of conversations. Some people revealed themselves immediately (“I work in the marketing department”) while others confessed they weren’t really in the mood for a chat with the university paper: “How long is this going to take?” The indestructible device – which still works to this day – survived many ordeals, from being forgotten at parties to solitary rides on the city bus and even a broken SIM card, before finally ending up in a desk drawer after fifteen articles. Observant readers said they didn’t find the series interesting, and the community’s enthusiasm to participate quickly waned.
The final “Hello, who am I speaking to?” article was published on 14 December 2017, featuring barista Tanja Vrijhoeven of the Bakery Café. The editor who retrieved the trusty device from her afterwards was at least rewarded with a cup of coffee.