Wrong number

One of my biggest pet peeves is caller id. I know, I know. You're thinking that I'm lying to you now. Because just recently I told you that I screen my phone calls. It's true, though. I both love and hate caller id. Let me explain why.

I love caller id becuase it allows me to choose when I should pick up the phone and when I should just let it ring. I'm able to ensure that I have enough time to talk to the person on the other end. And it allows me to skip the telemarketer calls.

On the other hand, since everyone in the known free world owns a cell phone, and they all come equipped with caller id, I hate it. I hate it because people are no longer clueless about who has called them. There is a call log of every single person who has dialed their number, whether it's the right one or not. And, it seems like more and more people can't just leave well enough alone. They have to KNOW who has called them. The MOST annoying phone call in the world starts off, "Hi, you called my phone?"

Last Thursday I was trying to call my mom. I've had my cell phone for about four months now, but I have yet to put anyone on speed dial other than J. So I'm in the car, with my bluetooth on, trying to dial my mom's phone number. I press talk, and then glance down to make sure the phone is connecting. Well, on my screen it says "Washington" instead of "Mom" and I realize I dialed the number wrong. Instead of 318, I dialed 315. Oops.

The phone did not even complete one entire ring before I realized my mistake, so I quickly hit end and hung up.

Not even three minutes later my phone rings. It was the wrong number, calling me back! Are you kidding me? I ignored it, because I don't know the number. Seems like the logical thing to do, right? I know I don't know these people.

Apparently, they think they know me. Or they think they want to know me because they called back a second time.

I answered this time, because I'm assuming that they are going to keep calling until I do.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Yeah, you called my phone. What do you want?" replied World's Biggest Busybody.

"I was calling someone else, and realized I had the wrong number. So I hung up before anyone picked up," I explained - unecessarily because who really calls back?

"Who were you looking for?"

"My mom."

"Oh, well, you've got the wrong number."

"Actually, I already knew that. That's why I didn't complete the original call. As a matter of fact, now you are the one with the wrong number," I said.

"Oh, sorry."

Yeah, I'll bet you are. And don't be mad at me that you just wasted five minutes of your life that you'll never get back. It's your own fault.