Had been away overnight. Not been home long Saturday afternoon, about 3-4 p.m. when the phone rang. This conversation. I've changed the names:
Me: Hello, Steve Tilley speaking
Caller: (Cheery) Hello it's Jenny Hopgood
Me: (Nervously) I'm really sorry but I don't think I know who you are (Honesty is always wisest in this situation)
Caller: Is that Dave?
Me: (Exasperation showing slightly) No, this is Steve Tilley speaking. The number you have called is ... (I give the last six digits. It contains no sixes)
Caller: (Apologising) It's meant to be a six (call ends)
I go and sit down. The phone rings immediately.
Me: Hello, Steve Tilley speaking
Caller: I definitely put a six that time. I must have been given the wrong number
Me: You've either been given the right number and dialled (I know) it wrong or for some strange reason when you call the right number it is misdirecting to me. There is no six in my number (I repeat it, in full this time)
Caller: I definitely put a six on the end (call ends)
I go and sit down. A few hours later I remember I haven't listened to my voicemails. Of the six times the phone rang while I was away four left no message, one was the background sound of an office call centre and no message and one was this, from 11.00 a.m that morning. I recognise the same voice as my recent wrong number caller:
'Hello Sally, it's Jenny. I've booked a table for us at the Compass for 1 o'clock. It's by Junction 18 of the M4.'
Someone had probably been sitting alone in a pub for two hours cursing their friend
1 comment:
When we lived at our old house our phone number was either very close to, or printed in error on the paperwork for, the maternity suite at the local hospital. At least once a week we would be called by frantic-sounding men, or ladies who'd already told us how dilated they were before we could inform them that they had the wrong number. We kept the right number by the phone and always wished them luck before we hung up. The most annoying occasions were in the middle of the night, but I still hope we tried to sound soothing...
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