"Hello, Mr. Patrickson speaking,"
"Hello, Mr. Patrickson, This is Mr. Perdperiyawong. I am calling to speak with you about Mr. Panich."
"Yes. Yes. Mr. Kornthas spoke to me yesterday. How can I help you?"
"Thank you for taking my call. I need your help to resolve a delicate matter regarding my son and Mr. Panich. It is essential he comes back home. Two lives are depending upon him. I understand from Mr. Kornthas you have a way to contact Mr. Panich?"
"Yes, we do, but if you are not on his list of emergency contacts we cannot allow it and you are not on the list."
"Who is so I may contact them and ask them to request on our behalf."
"I am sorry Mr. Perdperiyawong. I am not allowed to divulge that."
"So, what am I supposed to do, travel to Africa and wander the Sahara Desert to find him? This is a matter of life and death. Mr. Patrickson. Is there anything I can do? I will pay for the cost of the call. I will do anything."
"I know this is personal, sir but could you tell me the nature of the emergency?"
"Can you swear to keep this confidential?"
"If it is an emergency, I would have to make requests and get approval. Once it leaves me, I cannot guarantee anything. How about this? Send me a confidentiality agreement and you can tell me, and I will at least be able to tell you if it will meet the requirements for us to go against protocol."
"Give me a minute. I am calling Mr. Kornthas. I am going to put you on hold."
"Okay."
Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.
"Mr. Perdperiyawong, is everything okay?"
"No, we have run into a problem. They cannot contact Zee unless we are on the emergency contact list. Can you guess who that could be?"
"Umm. Maybe his parents? They are not on the best terms, but it is possible. I might be or Janis."
"I have Mr. Patrickson on the phone. Would you mind getting on with me? I can add you to the call."
"Mr. Patrickson?"
"I am here."
"Mr. Kornthas?"
"I am here."