Lies for sale
NZPA-AFP Lyons Erick Cappelli, aged 21, has formally applied to patent his “Dial-A-Lie” service which makes telephoned excuses for people who do not want to turn up for work or keep an appointment. Mr Cappelli, an unemployed computer technician, calls himself a “professional liar” and specialises only in excuses for being absent. If a subscriber, at 60 francs ($10.30) a call, wants to skip work or break an appointment, the service will call his employers with a message along the lines of, "Sorry but my husband is ill ana will be unable to come to work today.” Or, in the case of an appointment: “Mr X regrets he will be unable to come because ...” and Mr Cappelli’s lively imagination will furnish an excuse. His service called “Cabinet Cappelli” started in Lyons on October 1 and he has been flooded with clients.
They have to fill in a questionnaire and take full legal responsibility for the lie, and also pay in advance.
His props consist mainly of tape-recordings of background noise effects, each as office typewriters or a crowded railway station or airport.
He does not plan to build up a national business because “to tell you the truth, I don’t believe there is a future in telling lies.”
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Bibliographic details
Press, 24 October 1984, Page 35
Word Count
211Lies for sale Press, 24 October 1984, Page 35
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