🧑‍🤝‍🧑 / 🏡 When TV and reality get mixed up; badly. TV's Dom Draper and John Draper

I went to The Battery Store yesterday. (Yes, if you haven't heard of it, it's a store that just sells batteries.)

They pulled the wrong one so I was forced to wait a few minutes and started chatting with another fellow in their looking for a cell phone battery.

He was an older fellow. The type that would tell you a one minute story and it takes five. So, I could related to him immediately. He went on a bit of a tangent about the store, how the concept was unique and could have been on the fore-front of something. Then, he went on a bit and said the GM of the store, and the way he had handled everyone that evening, was a lot like what he'd seen on TV from John Draper.

NOW, I'm confused. I asked, "how? And, who?"

He was talking about John Draper, yes. But, he was calling him Don Draper, the guy from Mad Men.

So...that led me to tell him the story of John Draper. How many of you guys know his story? The "Original Hacker."

John Draper. Look him up if you don't know the story.

Long story short:

Kid, in the '60's, found out the toy out of the box of Cap'n Crunch made the same sound as the tone used by AT&T's network. That tone unlocked their system (the original hack) and gave him carte blanche on long distance phone calls. As in, free.

"In-band signaling." Geez, reminds me of AOL's free trial discs...

 

[alabama mike]

It is always interesting what I learn on here. Never heard of the guy but I am going to do a little reading about him.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I went to The Battery Store yesterday. (Yes, if you haven't heard of it, it's a store that just sells batteries.)

They pulled the wrong one so I was forced to wait a few minutes and started chatting with another fellow in their looking for a cell phone battery.

He was an older fellow. The type that would tell you a one minute story and it takes five. So, I could related to him immediately. He went on a bit of a tangent about the store, how the concept was unique and could have been on the fore-front of something. Then, he went on a bit and said the GM of the store, and the way he had handled everyone that evening, was a lot like what he'd seen on TV from John Draper.

NOW, I'm confused. I asked, "how? And, who?"

He was talking about John Draper, yes. But, he was calling him Don Draper, the guy from Mad Men.

So...that led me to tell him the story of John Draper. How many of you guys know his story? The "Original Hacker."

John Draper. Look him up if you don't know the story.

Long story short:

Kid, in the '60's, found out the toy out of the box of Cap'n Crunch made the same sound as the tone used by AT&T's network. That tone unlocked their system (the original hack) and gave him carte blanche on long distance phone calls. As in, free.

"In-band signaling." Geez, reminds me of AOL's free trial discs...

Batteries+, now Batteries+Bulbs?

 

[TerryP]

Batteries+, now Batteries+Bulbs?

I don't know. Damn. I didn't look at the signage. I just knew where it was. The lettering was white, green, and orange.

It was behind the Sonic, Tim. As soon as I made the turn I was thinking about the drinks at Sonic. I literally walked into the place looking at the flavors of drinks on the Sonic app...walked out of the store doing the same thing.

Shit. I feel a little stupid. I didn't pay attention to what was in the store. I was still thinking about getting a drink at Sonic and he mentioned a cell battery. Then, I wanted to see what kind of cell phone the guy had...then got lost in the conversation.
Hell. I couldnt' tell you what kind of battery I picked up. It wasn't for me. I was talking with a guy and found out we were both headed to the same area (bank building behind the battery place.) He said he'd give me one of his steak specials if I would pick it up.

Done. He does a 12oz ribeye with a baked potato and salad on Wednesday nights.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I don't know. Damn. I didn't look at the signage. I just knew where it was. The lettering was white, green, and orange.

It was behind the Sonic, Tim. As soon as I made the turn I was thinking about the drinks at Sonic. I literally walked into the place looking at the flavors of drinks on the Sonic app...walked out of the store doing the same thing.

Shit. I feel a little stupid. I didn't pay attention to what was in the store. I was still thinking about getting a drink at Sonic and he mentioned a cell battery. Then, I wanted to see what kind of cell phone the guy had...then got lost in the conversation.
Hell. I couldnt' tell you what kind of battery I picked up. It wasn't for me. I was talking with a guy and found out we were both headed to the same area (bank building behind the battery place.) He said he'd give me one of his steak specials if I would pick it up.

Done. He does a 12oz ribeye with a baked potato and salad on Wednesday nights.

Did you get a white, green or orange drink from Sonic?

I don't think I've had a sugary drink in a good while.

 

[TerryP]

Did you get a white, green or orange drink from Sonic?

I don't think I've had a sugary drink in a good while.

I had my mind on a Limeaid until asking if it was carbonated. It was. I went with good, old-fashioned, lemonade. It wasn't as good as Chic-Fil-A though it's still pretty good. Real fruit, ya know?

Do milk shakes count as sugery drinks? With a Sonic so close to the house I grab a few of those every summer.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I had my mind on a Limeaid until asking if it was carbonated. It was. I went with good, old-fashioned, lemonade. It wasn't as good as Chic-Fil-A though it's still pretty good. Real fruit, ya know?

Do milk shakes count as sugery drinks? With a Sonic so close to the house I grab a few of those every summer.

Unless it's diet, I'd think the Sonic stuff is loaded with sugar, regardless of carbonation. Milk shakes? I'd think so. A small CFA lemonade has 31 grams of sugar, compared to 39 in a 12 ounce coca cola.

I'll have maybe two or three glasses of sweet tea a year, typically drink water or black coffee. I do drink a good bit of 2% milk, typically 16 ounces four or five days a week. When my wife was working at CFA, I'd get several lemonades a year, always half regular/diet.

 

[rick4bama]

@TerryP this much been the time he did this because, this the other day I read about him and his whistle.

 

[TerryP]

Unless it's diet, I'd think the Sonic stuff is loaded with sugar, regardless of carbonation. Milk shakes? I'd think so. A small CFA lemonade has 31 grams of sugar, compared to 39 in a 12 ounce coca cola.

I did some work for a company some twenty years ago where "my office" was in the area. The GM I got to know pretty well. (Enough to where the asshole asked me to help him move...from the 3rd floor.) He used to bring Limeaid's into work in the mornings. All that meant to me is he got drunk the night before last and this was his fix. BUT, it had a decent flavor.

That's the origin of the idea.

The carbonation, with Sonic, means the chances are REAL high it's just a Sprite drink. I asked if it was carbonated on purpose. "Are your Limeaids the natural variety or are you just dumping juice in Sprite?" (There is a difference between stores: seems to be age related and franchises.) The framing of the question, ya know?

I'll have maybe two or three glasses of sweet tea a year, typically drink water or black coffee. I do drink a good bit of 2% milk, typically 16 ounces four or five days a week. When my wife was working at CFA, I'd get several lemonades a year, always half regular/diet.

I could put what I drink on a subscription basis. It's that routine.

 

[TerryP]

@TerryP this much been the time he did this because, this the other day I read about him and his whistle.

I can't say for sure. There's some reason MAD magazine and this story are connected in my head. It may have been something they wrote. I have no clue.

There was a guy in a multi-level marketing company I knew out of KY. He made a BUNCH of money on long distance and phones. He shared the story in his sales pitch...last century.