Goodbye.

So, its been forever, but this is gonna be short and sweet anyway. People here have a very hard time ending telephone calls without sounding awkwardly high-pitched on the 'bye'. It is bizarre, but after speaking on the phone with more than a few British people, I've noticed that what I thought was an individual curiosity is actually a generalized phenomenon. I've heard it on the street, on the bus, and anywhere else I am within earshot of a British person ending a phone call. It tends to go something like this:

Man-on-phone (MOP): Right, right. I think we need to get those figures to HQ asap, Jim. This is too important to delay because f**kers in sales can't get their acts together.
Jim: (on the other end of the phone so how should i know)
MOP: Right, will send that spreadsheet right over. Ok, talk to you later then. (in high pitched childlike whine, yet still somewhat hushed) BYEEEEEE.

It's really weird seeing men in suits give the same parting shrill as 15 year old school girls. Without fail, however, it seems to be the case.