THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 14, 1995 TAG: 9502140295
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But roses and a transposed toll-free number simply stink.
An accountant in California and two flower shops in Massachusetts and San Diego have learned this all too well. We start with Karen Zepernick, owner of Point Loma Village Florists in San Diego.
As Valentine's Day approaches, Zepernick has been inundated with calls from lovers in search of flowers for their beloved. Business has been great, she said, except for the hundred-or-so calls from folks Zepernick now refers to as ``the radio people.''
For the first time ever, National Public Radio is raising money nationwide by offering roses for Valentine's Day. Order six for $60 or a dozen for $120, and NPR gets roughly half the dough. About 160 stations, including those in Hampton Roads, are participating.
But when the toll-free phone number was given out, some announcers or listeners got confused.
The NPR flower number is (800) 987-ROSE in Orlando, Fla.
Point Loma Village Florists is (800) 978-ROSE.
And so those slightly off called Zepernick, wanting to order roses and donate money to NPR.
The trickle that began last Wednesday grew steadily. By Monday, one in every three callers said something about roses and money for NPR.
That's when Zepernick discovered the transposed digit.
The mix-up wasn't limited to San Diego.
Harriett's Flowers in Norwell, Mass. - (800) 879-ROSE - has received about 60 calls. Owner Kathleen Hillman said: ``I've lost count now. We just have to wait until the phone bill comes. I just think it's a big mistake.''
And keep kind thoughts for Anita Bauer, 41, an accountant who works out of her home in La Crescenta, Calif., (800) 897-7673. You guessed it, the last four digits also spell ROSE.
She hasn't been able to answer the phone in about two weeks, she said, claiming at least 5,000 misdirected florist calls have come her way. ``It does spell out rose,'' said Bauer. ``But it's not the right number.''
``It rings constantly, constantly,'' she said over the phone as her call-waiting clicked repeatedly. ``I don't even answer it anymore. It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. And the closer it's gotten to Valentine's Day, the more intense it's become. And I don't even know what the correct number to call is.''
NPR officials were unaware of the major mix-up. But John Sutton, director of the on-air fund-raising partnership, was concerned.
``There have been a few of those where people have gotten it wrong,'' he said. ``We haven't heard too many stories of it, and it generally gets straightened out quickly.''
California florist Zepernick isn't letting this national mix-up shake her.
``I kind of took the position that there really isn't anything I can do,'' she said. ``But today, we haven't asked where they're calling from. At 24 cents a minute, we just say `OK' and `thank you' and `get off our phone.' ''
``Oh yeah,'' she added. ``And Happy Valentine's Day.'' by CNB