# Well, that was an odd phone call **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100 "2004-11-10T23:31:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/1 "2004-11-10T23:31:35Z")
(Preface: I have a French first-name that is fairly rare in this country; in fact I have only ever met one other person with the same name). Out for coffee last night with some friends, when a call comes in on my mobile: _ring_ Me: Hello Her: Hi, is this Vagus? Me: Sure is. Her: (very bright & bubbly) Hi Vagus its Jill Me: ……… yes. Her: This is Vagus? Me: Yes Her: It’s me, Jill Me: So you said. Her: Don’t you remember me? Me: Can’t say that I do. Her: YOU B@SATRD!!! Did you think you could just screw me & never talk to me again. Blah blah blah, said you loved me, blah blah blah, I hate you! Etc etc…… Me: Umm, I really don’t know what you are talking about. Her: This is Vagus??? Me: Yes, we have established this already. Her: What’s your last name? Me: Its S\*\*\*\*\*\*. Her: Oh my God, I’ve got the wrong number! Me: That would account for a lot of things. Her: Sorry! _click_ Anyone else had strange phone calls like this? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/2 "2004-11-10T23:38:08Z")
At some point, I would have asked: “Well, was I any good?” Tripler C’mon, you know you would too. . . ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/3 "2004-11-10T23:51:18Z")
When my Aunt Karen (since deceased) went into the hospital for what turned out to be the final time, I went to her place to “condo-sit”. On my first night there, I got a call from an intoxicated-sounding female, and the ensuing conversation went something like this: > [@](#): > > Me: Hello. > > Her: Hey, how ya doin’? Wanta come over? I’m having a party. > > Me: I might if I knew who you were. > > Her: Ha ha! You know exactly who I am. > > Me: No, I don’t recognize your voice, and I must say I’m mystified. > > Her: Mystified? Do I have that effect on you? > > Me: You certainly do, and since I don’t know you, I’m going to hang up now. Bye. I also once answered the phone at my parents’ house when I was still living there, and had the following exchange: > [@](#): > > Me: Hello. > > Older (I’m guessing about 60) woman: Hello yourself. Is she there? > > Me: Who’s “she”? > > Woman: The lady you – um – live with. (Tone suggested the concept of “have sex with without benefit of clergy”). > > Me: I don’t live with any woman. (Well, my mother was in residence, but – as I said – that concept wasn’t implied in the mystery caller’s tone.) > > Her: Oh, did you have a fight? Did she move out? > > Me: No. It’s obvious by now you have the wrong number. Goodbye. I occasionally wonder how my life would be different now if I’d played along with either caller, especially the first one (who sounded like quite the hottie :D)… ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/4 "2004-11-11T00:18:24Z")
_ring ring_ “Hello?” “Hi, Lightnin’.” “Um… hi. Who is this?” “Lightnin’, it’s your dad.” “I don’t think so, unless this phone has suddenly developed supernatural powers. My dad died two years ago.” “Is your name Lightnin’ Lastname?” “Yep.” “… Oh. Sorry.” “No problem. I get lots of calls for your son. Last I heard he was living in San Marcos- you might try looking him up there.” ---
**Author:** ![\_m\_c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/f475e1/32.png) [@\_m\_c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_m_c)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/5 "2004-11-11T01:44:46Z")
M:Hello T: Paster Schmidt? M: AHAHAHAHAHAHAH couldn’t be further from the truth 😉 T: CLICK ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/6 "2004-11-11T01:51:19Z")
> [@Vagus](#): > > ( > Anyone else had strange phone calls like this? I haven’t had a name thing like that, but about a year ago we had a rash of messages on our machine (my voice is the outgoing message) at all hours of the day from a woman who sounded like a dead-ringer for Miss Cleo accusing me of ‘hiding her man.’ The caller ID showed a bunch of different numbers, all listed as ‘unavailable.’ ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/7 "2004-11-11T02:13:36Z")
Oooh yes. My second week in college, two time zones away from home. 5:30 AM on a Friday morning (my only day without a 9 am class!), my cell rings. Me: Hello? -“Alice [not my name], where the hell are you?” “Huh? Who is this?” “This is so-and-so. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for days - where are you?” “I’m sorry, who?” “…This is Alice, right?” “Um…no.” “Oh, god, I’m sorry, I’ve got the wrong number.” “And it’s 5 AM where I am.” “Wait, but, you do work at the Macaroni Grill, right? On whatever road?” “Uh…no.” “Oh. I’ve got the wrong person.” “Yes.” “But you’re name’s Alice, right?” “Um…no, it’s not.” “Sorry.” _click_ ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/8 "2004-11-11T02:14:15Z")
Ring ring… Me: Hello? Her: … Her: \ Is… John… there? Me: Uh, no, you have the wrong number. Her: \ Oh thank GOD! _click_ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/9 "2004-11-11T02:14:17Z")
I got a long distance call from some guy about a year ago: > [@](#): > > He: Larry? > > Me: Yeah. > > He: It’s Mike. Listen: When you get to the anal scene, keep an eye on the colour of her assh\*le. If it gets all red and nasty, don’t bother, just move on. > > Me: What?! > > He: You know, if she starts looking raw, don’t bother with the anal scene. There’s nothing less appealing than a butt that looks like it’s hurting. Don’t waste your time shooting any of that, because I’m not going to use it. > > Me: Uhh… I think… erm… > > He: Wait… this is Larry? > > Me: Uh, yeah, but… > > He: Larry [Mudd]? > > Me: Yeah, but, really… > > He: In Vancouver? > > Me: Well, yeah. But I’m pretty sure you… > > He: The video guy? > > Me: I do a little video, yeah, but nothing like… > > He: Oh, I think I made a mistake. I’m working on something with a guy up there, and I just got the name out of the book. I guess it’s a different guy. Jesus. There’s about 15 L. [Mudd]'s in the book. My real surname is as common as, uh, dirt. Maybe I should have kept him on the line and asked if he needed someone to swing second unit? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/10 "2004-11-11T02:54:10Z")
I periodically get calls that go like this: > [@](#): > > Me: Hello? > > … > > Me: Er… hello? > > … > > Me: Is anyone there? > > … > > Me: Okay, then. _hangs up_ Seriously, it’s kind of weird. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/11 "2004-11-11T03:13:42Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Maybe I should have kept him on the line and asked if he needed someone to swing second unit? You said “someone”. huhuhuhuh. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/12 "2004-11-11T03:24:05Z")
**Kythereia** , I get calls like those as well. It typically comes up as “Caller ID Not Available” or “No ID” or something like that. After about 10 seconds, I’ll hear a beep, as if someone or something is recording the call. I think it’s a machine of some sort, but I can’t tell what kind: computer modem wardialer, surveilance device, whatever. :tinfoil: Tripler But I can’t say any more. The Men In Black might be watching my web service too. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/13 "2004-11-11T03:27:22Z")
I get strange calls all the time. One I got years ago, when I still lived in Cincy (where I learned my name is fairly common, not so much here): Me: Hello? Caller (male): Father? Me: Who is this? Caller: Is this father Shibb? Me: Well, my name is Shibb, but I’m not your father. Caller: Sorry, I just looked you up in the phone book. Shibb O. Leth, right? Me: Yes. Caller: Sorry, same name and [same small area of Cincy]. \<\\> Scary there’s a priest out there getting my calls. More recently it was about 7 pm and I got a call like this: Me: Hello? Caller (female): I want to suck your d&ck! Me (walking out of the room with Mrs. Shibb and the Shibblets): I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number. Caller: Is this John? Me: No. Caller: Well, I still want to suck your big, fat c@ck! Me: Um, I’m sorry, this really isn’t a good time for me. Caller: I want to come over there right now and suck you dry. Me: I’m sorry, I really have to go. Thanks for the offer. Caller: C’mon, baby, I’m so horny. \<\\> Me (to Mrs. Shibb): How come you never do that? Mrs. Shibb: What? Me: Nevermind, it was just a wrong number. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/14 "2004-11-11T03:31:49Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > **Kythereia** , I get calls like those as well. It typically comes up as “Caller ID Not Available” or “No ID” or something like that. After about 10 seconds, I’ll hear a beep, as if someone or something is recording the call. > > I think it’s a machine of some sort, but I can’t tell what kind: computer modem wardialer, surveilance device, whatever. :tinfoil: > > Tripler > But I can’t say any more. The Men In Black might be watching my web service too. :eek: _They’re after us!_ _jams tinfoil hat on head and runs_ :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/15 "2004-11-11T03:38:57Z")
**Kythereia** and **Tripler** , those calls are from telemarketers’ [predictive dialers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictive_dialer). Yet another reason to wish shingles on them. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/16 "2004-11-11T03:43:39Z")
Our phone number used to be one number off from a Pizza Hut. ~ring~ MT: Hello? Drunk: Yeah, I wanna order a pizza MT: You have the wrong number D: CLICK (20 seconds later) ~ring~ MT: Hello? Same drunk: I wanna order a pizza MT: You still have the wrong number. It’s 123-4567 SD: Bitch! click (a minute later) ~ring~ MT: (sigh) Hello? Same drunk: I wanna order a pizza MT: What can I get you? Now my phone number is close to a latino gigolo. At least 3x/week I receive a phone call in Spanish from different women looking for Miguel. I have learned very interesting words, I must say. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/17 "2004-11-11T03:46:03Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > **Kythereia** and **Tripler** , those calls are from telemarketers’ [predictive dialers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictive_dialer). Yet another reason to wish shingles on them. And not just telemarketers; debt collection agencies just dial the number the debtors give when they feel like giving info in whatever form; application, whatever…those numbers get loaded into a dialer w/ no checking whatsoever for their accuracy. I got calls for someone’s cellphone bill at my last place and for someone else’s student loan default 2 places ago. Both times, when I gave them the last four ## of my ssn, they took my number out of their dialer for good. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/18 "2004-11-11T03:48:37Z")
Oh, and there’s some jackass Chrysler exec out there who keeps giving my cellphone number to salesmen he can’t get rid of. They call back, on MY minutes, to talk about the terms of the order he promised them. They always say he gave them this, his ‘direct line’. One thought I was a secretary being coy and wound up w/ an earful. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/19 "2004-11-11T04:27:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Tone suggested the concept of “have sex with without benefit of clergy” What possible position requires a man of the cloth? ---
**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100/20 "2004-11-11T04:28:42Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > I periodically get calls that go like this: > > Seriously, it’s kind of weird. I have gone through many periods of receiving frequent calls like this. After comparing notes with my siblings (all of us live in different states), we determined that it was our mother. She is a recovering alcoholic, and one of the things that tipped us off that she had fallen “off the wagon” was that all of us would get these phone calls with no one apparently at the other end of the line. (This was before the days when caller ID was easily available, and WAY before we actually decided it was worth paying for.) There are two very strange phone calls I remember: One: I was living in a single room in a college dorm in the mid-80’s. The phone rang one night at around 3am, and I got up to answer it. Voice of Ronald Regan: Hello, is this Kim [Smith]? Me: Yes (!???) Voice of Ronald Regan: This is the president. I’m just calling to see what you think about how I’m doing? Me: Huh??? Voice of Ronald Regan: So, do you think things are going well for the country? Me: Huh??? etc. until I finally hung up because I had no clue what was going on and I was more than half asleep. I’ll grant that it might have been a VERY vivid dream, and I have no witnesses, but even 20 years later, I STILL swear it sounded like RR. (And I’m a die-hard Democrat, too.) Second: Somehow my husband and I were assigned a phone number that had recently belonged to someone else, with a completely different name. That name and our phone number were published in the next-to-most-recent phone book where we lived, so we frequently got phone calls asking for Sandy or someone related thereto. One in particular takes the cake: Phone rings. Me: Hello? Teenage girl: Is Jennifer there? Me: No, there is no Jennifer here. You must have the wrong number. Teenage girl: Sorry. \ A couple of minutes later: Phone rings. Me: Hello? Teenage girl: Is Jennifer there? Me: No, you still have the wrong number. Teenage girl: Okay. \ About five minutes later: Phone rings. Me: Hello? Teenage girl: Is Jennifer there? Me: No, I told you that there is no one here named Jennifer. You have the wrong number. Teenage girl: Can you please just tell her that she has a phone call? Me: There is no one here named Jennifer. Teenage girl: I’m looking in the phone book right now under her mother’s name, and this IS the number that is listed. Why are you lying to me?? Me: You must have an old phone book, or there is a typo, because there is no Jennifer here at all. Teenage girl: (Very angry!) The phone book says that this IS the right number, and I don’t understand why you won’t let me talk to Jennifer. Me: I can’t let you talk to Jennifer because there is no one here named Jennifer. \ Two minutes later: The phone rings. Me: Yes?? (knowing who it must be) Teenage girl: Can I PLEASE talk to Jennifer? Me: Of course you can. Wait a sec and I’ll get her for you. At that point, I set the phone receiver down on the table, and went back to whatever I had been doing. An hour or so later, I hung up the phone. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-was-an-odd-phone-call/274100.md?page=2)