~ Le Sigh! ~

[Scarlett O.]

I just had a wrong number call me twice. It's after 11 PM. The first time it scared me and I don't have a phone in my bedroom. By the time I got to the phone in my den, they had hung up. I assumed it was an emergency at my mother's house so I called my mother's house and asked had she called. She, of course, answered her phone frantically assuming I had an emergency!

They called back ten minutes later and I was now angry instead of scared. They just kept saying, "Hello?" I sounded like kids. I angrily told them that they had the wrong number and I said something highly inappropriate after that.

Now I'm WIDE awake and feeling terrible for what I said!!

 

[Rippon]

I just had a wrong number call me twice. It's after 11 PM. The first time it scared me and I don't have a phone in my bedroom. By the time I got to the phone in my den, they had hung up. I assumed it was an emergency at my mother's house so I called my mother's house and asked had she called. She, of course, answered her phone frantically assuming I had an emergency!


They called back ten minutes later and I was now angry instead of scared. They just kept saying, "Hello?" I sounded like kids. I angrily told them that they had the wrong number and I said something highly inappropriate after that.

Now I'm WIDE awake and feeling terrible for what I said!!

Some kids playing a prank is my guess. It was totally out of line.

But I wonder if they know you.

I get wrong numbers here in China. I have to keep saying "Hello" before they finally get the idea I am not the party they seek.

 

[Scarlett O.]

After checking the caller ID, I looked the number up on reverse white pages and it was from a near by large town. I don't know any kids in that particular town. It may have been a legitimate wrong number or kids calling each other way too late and punching the wrong numbers. I couldn't identify the person's name.

 

[Melanie]

Don't fret Scarlett! You acted in a way I would have in your place! Calls at odd times tend to freak people out, as it is almost always very bad news! If the caller had been stupid kids, I hope they learned something from it!

 

[just-want-peace]

Had a problem in late 60s similar to this.
The call would come about 11pm-1AM, & happened for a couple of weeks about 2-3 times / week.
Finally I answered one time & engaged in conversation for a minute or so & then put my hand over the mouthpiece and "kinda" whispered loud enough for the perps to hear, "--yeah, it's them, go ahead!".
Just as I put the phone back to my ear I heard a quick "click", and never heard from them again.
I kept wondering why it took me so long to think of this solution!!

 

[wpe3bql]

OK....Here's one that happened to me way back in 1973-74. Not sure which year it was since it was over 40 years ago.

Here's the scenario: One of my "many" jobs I had while going through my undergraduate college education was working at a funeral home as a clerk.

One of the "perks" was having my own bedroom and access to a kitchen. Another fellow (not a student) also had his own separate bedroom.

The two of us were both tasked with answering the phone at night just in case "something happened" that required the attention of the funeral home's full time staff during "after hours."

The funeral director gave me very specific directions as to the proper use of the phone in these "situations" and how to maintain a "business-like" response to any/all callers.

WPE3BQL being new at this job wanted to make a good impression for his employer by following all the rules he laid down regarding phone conversations.....especially on his very first phone call.

I get this phone call at about 11:00 pm., "Momma's DEAD!!! Oh PLEASE get Momma!!"

"Yes sir!" I responded. "You'll have to give me complete driving directions to your location so that the funeral home personnel will know exactly where you're located so that they can best 'pick up your mother.' And, be advised, this process will take some time because I'll have to call the full-time personnel, they'll have to get dressed, and they'll have to drive to the funeral home, and then they'll have to drive the hearse to your location. You do understand this, don't you?"

"Yes, yes, I understand.....But PLEASE come as soon as y'all can, 'cause Momma's DEAD!!"

"I can guarantee that we'll all do our best to arrive at your location just as soon as we can. Is there anything else we need to know about this 'situation' at this time?"

"No, no, we'll tell the funeral home people when they come for Momma if there's any details we missed.....Just please hurry and get Momma."

"Yes sir, we'll do our best to serve you and your family."

So I hang up the phone and proceed to notify the full-time staff of this "situation." They arrive ASAP, and off they go to "pick up Momma."

Well, they eventually arrive back at the funeral home "empty-handed." What happened, I asked. Did I do something wrong?

No, you did exactly what you were told to do. Problem was that just as we were about to turn onto the road on which "Momma lived," another hearse from another funeral home passed us.

They stopped us and asked if we too were coming to pick up "Momma." Yes we were, but obviously we were too late.

No, because when we knocked on "Momma's" door, you'll never guess who answered.

That's right. "Momma" answered the door!

It turned out that these "young gentlemen(??)" decided to play a prank on "Momma." They had called every funeral home within about 30-50 miles of "Momma's" house to come to pick her up.

It must have taken some planning to know which funeral home(s) to call and at what precise times to call each of them.

Were these "young gentlemen(??)" ever caught and/or apprehended and subsequently "counseled" for their actions?

I don't know, but that's one phone call I'll probably never forget---even it is was at least 40 years ago!! :thumbs::thumbs:

 

[Gib]

Young prank callers don't like airhorns. Nor do they like getting caught.

My oldest son was severely bullied in elementary and middle school. He was on the frail side compared to the other kids his age. After several years of torment, the classmates were found out and asked not to come back to the school the next year (private school). When asked why they did it, they responded, "Because we liked to see him cry." The school denied they had a problem until a new headmaster joined the school and had zero tolerance for it.

One of the many ways they tormented him - prank calls. They would call known gay men in the community and tell them they were my son and that he was coming out of the closet and was looking for an older, experienced person to come out with.

One of the men did call, but he knew my wife and I and wanted us to know that someone was doing this to Jordan. It got so bad they were calling and cussing us out all hours of the night. All the numbers they were calling from were blocked. We got the police involved. They found the boys were calling from a lawyer's office. The lawyer was a prominent figure in the community. She didn't take it very well. But at least it was over. The boys didn't come back to school the next year.

My son, now 24, finished high school, went to college, graduated and has turned out to be a strong, intelligent, caring person. He has a soft spot for the underdog. One of the guys that pushed him to the point of tears the most, is now his barber. He has apologized to Jordan on more than one occasion.

Prank callers don't like trumpets either.