EMBARRASSED Jonny May did not know where to put himself.
At least Mike Catt saw the funny side.
Few new call-ups have celebrated international selection by barking an expletive and hanging up.
But that's how Gloucester's speed king reacted to England attack coach Catt confirming his place on the summer's South America tour.
Catt's first phone call to the blitzkrieg Cherry and Whites wing did not exactly go to plan.
Thankfully by take two, May could be convinced it was not team-mate Jimmy Cowan playing a prank.
Now a distant, if a little distracting, memory, May is gearing up for England's clash against a South American select XV in Montevideo tomorrow.
Had former Bath and London Irish centre Catt not bought his excuse for that burst of bad language, things could have been different.
"We had a squad day out with Gloucester at Cotswold Water Park at the end of the season, where I managed to lose my mobile phone," explained the 23-year-old.
"Henry Trinder was stranded on a raft, so I jumped on a jetski to help him out, and that's when my phone fell out of my pocket into the water."
When Catt called then, May had no numbers saved in his replacement phone.
That was the last bout of confusion on May's summer objectives though.
Since his elevation to Stuart Lancaster's squad, May has targeted selection for England's two Test matches against Argentina.
Tomorrow is his final chance to state his Test case, after climbing off the bench in last weekend's 40-12 Barbarians drubbing.
Christian Wade and Marland Yarde impressed against the lacklustre Baa Baas, while David Strettle is the South America tour's most experienced wing.
May was a late injury replacement to last summer's South Africa tour, but remains uncapped – and is desperate to change that before coming home.
He continued: "The team performance was really good against the Barbarians and they have set down a standard, and it is up to the boys that go out there this weekend to raise it.
"There are such quality players around the Premiership and it is an honour to be here on tour – but that is just stage one.
"It is important to go and get my first cap. That is what will define this tour as a success for me."
Former Wootton Bassett RFC and Hartpury College man May admits he has coveted opportunities with England his whole life.
When he thinks back to missing out on age-group England action then, he finds no shortage of motivation for the tests against the Pumas in Salta next weekend and in Buenos Aires on June 15.
He added: "It would mean the world to me.
"I have drilled it into myself from the age of five 'this is what I want, nothing else, rugby is everything'.
"I had a rough time as a teenager, not doing all that well.
"All my mates had overtaken me and had outgrown me.
"It was just a tough time and I had put all my eggs in one basket.
"I stuck with it and went to Hartpury.
"I had to work for it. I didn't get in the England Under-16s and Under-18s and not having had that easy path through has definitely made me a better player.
"Playing for England is really important to me and I am determined to get there one way or another."
