"I'm calling for Mr. Daniel Oak," he said in a low tenor voice.
I touched the "vision" button and let the pick-up transmit my image to him. No point in playing cagy just at that time. "Speaking," I said.
"You're Mr. Daniel Oak, of New York?" he asked.
"That's right."
"The confidential expediter?" He seemed to want to make very certain of his quarry.
"That's right," I repeated.
His smile was a little stiff. "My name is Venuccio, Mr. Oak; André Venuccio. I'd like to speak to you about a matter of employment."
"You mean you want a job?" This is a conversational gimmick known as The Deliberate Misunderstanding, or The Innocent Needle.
He twitched his head a little, which might have been a negative shake. "No, no. I wish to employ you, Mr. Oak."
"Well, I'm pretty busy right now, and I—"