zzzzz

Zachary Zzzzra is no longer unhappy. Vladimir Zzzzzzabakov canceled his telephone. It's part of the continuing zany Z battle in the city by the Golden Gate lor the Inst listing in the local phone book. For years Zzzzra hart been listed In Guinness Book of World Records "for the most determined attempt to be the list personal name In a local telephone directory." "It really upset me when the phone book came out last year with this name Vladimir. Zzzzzzabakov below my name," said Zzzzra. "I phoned this guy Vladimir and asked him how come he put so many Zs in his name. I demanded he tell me his real name." ZZZZRA said Zzzzzzab-akov responded, "That's none of your . . . business" and promptly hung up. Zzzzra didn't know Zzzzzzabakov had canceled his phone until the new San Fiancisro directory was published. "i!ul I known, I would not have chanced my name if only for the listing in the new phone book to Zachary Zzzzzzzzzzra," explained Zzzzra. Zzma is my real name. It's no nom do plume," insists Zzzzra, who says it is pronounced Z-z-rah. "My name is colloquial Dutch meaning smooth sailing ilown the Zider Zee. There are quite a few in Holland with lhat name. It was my father's name, my grandfather's and many grandfathers way back." Z77ra, rfi, y naming ron-uad.M, adm.tk'd, however, that he added an extra "z" !o his name when Zelda Znywramp arod him out several years ago in the San Francisco directory. "I NEVER met Zelda, but we talked to one another over the telephone several times," Zzzzra said. Zzzzra first made Guinness when he outzeed Zeke Zzypt (zipped) of Chicago, who had pushed aside Zero Zzjzz (rhymes with fizz) of New York, who replaced Vladimir Zzzyd (zid) of Miami. lVo Myers, a secretary for a San Francisco publishing company, got caught up In the zany business when she had a new phone installed recently and got Zzzzzzabakov'g old number. "My phone began ringing off the hook the first day I got it," she said. "People call me all hours of the day and night, many simply saying: 'How do you pronounce your name? Zzzzzzzz?" "Then they hang up." SllU SAID she would ask the phone company for a new number but she has al--eady mailed the "Z" phone numhe (o relatives and friends all over the country. "It would be just as much of a hassle to get another new phone number and mail out a whole batch of new announcements as it is to listen to the Zzzzzz calls," she figures. And anyway, Ms. Myers expects most of the Zzzzzzabakov calls will stop coming now that the new phone book Is out. As for Zzzzra (or is it Zzzzzzzzra?), his pride added six more Z's to his name, at least until the next new phone book comes out.