I just got an awful shock when I realized why the scary man on the phone is so angry. Let me explain:
The scary man rang me the other day on the home phone and here is how the conversation unfolded:
Me: Hello?
Scary Man: Hello.
Me: Is that … ? Sorry, who am I speaking to?
Scary Man: No, love, I’d like to know who I’m speaking to.
Me: But you rang me.
Scary Man: You got that wrong – you have rung me and hung up around seven times now.
Me: Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Scary Man: You ring me in the night and hang up just as I’m answering the phone. What is your name!
Me: Julie!
Scary Man: Julie who?
Me: Come on – I hate this joke thing. Who is this?
Scary Man: Oh, you hate this joke thing – so why do you keep waking me up late at night?
Me: What are you talking about? Sorry, are you the builder from Boyanup?
Scary Man: I’m not a bloody builder. Where are you ringing from?
Me: Western Australia.
Scary Man: Well I’m in Queensland, girlie and if you keep on ringing me ….
Me: I’m not ringing you – I’m so sorry – we’ve had a severe storm recently so maybe it’s the telephone wires or something?
Then, a few days later, the scary man rang again and Ming answered and this time the guy was extremely aggressive on the phone and I could hear Ming apologizing and assuring the man we hadn’t rung him.
I couldn’t work out the conundrum until I found out that I had one digit wrong in my nephew’s phone number (who I’d been trying to ring for a few days), so I thought that must be it.
Until yesterday. Yesterday, I rang Anthony’s mobile number and guess who answered – yes, it was the scary man! His voice is deep and gravelly and totally recognizable. In terror I quickly said, ‘Oh, sorry, I have the wrong number,’ and quickly hung up.
Okay, in a previous post, I described my method of ringing Anthony. Because he is slow to answer, I let the phone ring four times, hang up, then four times again and hang up and he sometimes answers on the third try. I do this around three times per day if I am not going in to visit.
I must have misdialled a few times and obviously the scary man’s phone number is similar to Anthony’s. I am now much more careful when I dial! And, since Queensland is two hours ahead of us, that explains the late night thing.
I am so glad the scary man lives in Queensland and not around the corner!
jmgoyder 
Oops!
Every time the phone rings now I think it might be that guy. I don’t blame him for being annoyed!
Now you have to wonder, are you the stalker or the stalkee?
Good question!
that is scary and funny at the same time. what a nightmare!!!!! glad it is over now though.may you both rest at nights, lolol
You gotta laugh! Although I don’t think the scary man is laughing, whoever he is!
lol
Holy Smokes!! That would have terrified me! I would have hung up on him when he called.
Yeah but he thinks I am harassing him!
well you kinda were! 🙂 It’s an innocent mistake and he’s a grumpy man!
I don’t blame that guy for getting mad though!
wow yes I guess a technological world has a price ….
ha!
I don’t know whether to laugh or be concerned.
After getting obscene phone calls about 20 years ago (turned out that the caller was ringing females through a flat sharing service which I used once), I am very aprehensive about ‘wrong’ calls.
Anyway, I decided to be ‘clever’ and when the obscene caller rang again, I listened silently to several minutes of obscenities and what he was going to do to me, then I calmy said during a quiet break in the tirade, “have you finished now – is that the best you can think of” and then quietly hung up.
Never actually got another obscene call after that. (and yes, I WAS hoping he didn’t live nearby and have my address).
Then as my surname starts with an ‘A’ I used ot receive dozens of calls from Call Centres or Charities trying to sell me something or asking for money, I eventually got my Landline disconnected – I got fed up. The interesting part is that I called my parents by chance soon after one of these calls and they had received the same charity requesting money 20 minutes earlier (than me). As a single person, I have the same surname as my Parents.
If this Scary man of yours was genuine, Julie, I’m sorry for him. I hate being woken in the middle of the night.
But as an amusing interlude at the current time, you’ve gotta smile and have a laugh.
Your obscene phonecalls sound horrible.
Trouble with my situation is that scary man thinks I am the obscene phonecall – haha!
that is just awful – I am glad your son is there with you
Yeah but it was my fault!
that does not take away from the fact that he was mean
True!
Maybe you should call him legitimately and explain what has been going on. Turn the Scary Man into your ally!
I still haven’t figured out his phone number and when I asked him he wouldn’t say. If I were more technological I would’ve figured it out – no way will he be my ally – he is too aggro!
Haha, oh well. His loss.
I think you are safe… he will get over it 🙂 Great story !!! xo
I am terrified I will accidentally ring him again!
you don’t think he’s unstable do you? If he’s just nasty, I think it’s over… right? xo
Hope so – and his impression would be that I am the one who is unstable – ha!
🙂 yes – but if he knew the real deal- perhaps he’d reconsider??
I doubt it -he was really angry!
yes – just probably a miserable soul… don’t give it a thought. you really don’t strike me as the prank caller type!!! ha !
haha!
😉
Could you let me know how you are going via email?
how I am going? you mean dhow i’m doing right… of course!! will check in with you – promise…and you do same!!! xo
Time to hope for sleep … pain levels wonky tonight – hoping a muscle relaxant helps… you be ok Julie– I have you in my heart xo
That’s funny – over here we say ‘how are ya going?’ and I guess you guys say ‘how are you doing?’ hehe!
Hope you get a wonderful night’s sleep – fingers crossed Robyn – Juliexx
he does sound like an icky human being though — !!!
Yeah – he must have gone to some effort to ring us back – yikes!
Get yourself a programmable phone and only use that button to make calls to Anthony. Scary stuff and you can’t afford to rile the lovely chap up more 😉
Good idea!
Uh oh
Oh dear! If he rings again, explain what happened; I’m sure he’ll calm down.
I just hope he doesn’t ring again! And I’m sure he hopes the same!
Gosh Jules I am so grateful he is two hours away too. I understand being woken in the night is not fun, but this guy is strung way too tight.
I’m also grateful that you figured it out before he comes swinging!
It’s good, and probably reassuring for you now that it’s figured out. The scary man is an annoyed man who keeps getting hang-up calls in the middle of the night. I would be annoyed too.
Yes I don’t blame him! He probably thinks I am the scary woman – ha!
Funny! So glad you sorted it out what was happening.
So am I!
Bet he won’t miss your calls.
He must have thought I was some sort of prankster!
Oh wow. He does sound scary. Everyone makes mistakes.
Bella and DiDi
Maybe I scared him initially!
I can imagine your terror when it was his voice on the phone, *again* 😀
Oh, the one-wrong-digit-thing has happened to me too many times… I get away by pretending i’d intended to call the chemist or something with a puppy voice 😉
And how, exactly, do you do the puppy voice? hahahah!
Oh you know, the ultrafeminine baby voice with a puppy eyes? hehe
Okay – somehow I don’t think I’d be good at that -ha!
Oops! That is so funny. It was an innocent mistake and he could have been nicer.
I hope he doesn’t hire a plane and come over!
Oh, so funny! And scary! Maybe he’s having wife problems, and she keeps wondering who’s calling him… Maybe by now she left him over those phone calls… Maybe he has girlfriend problems that the wife suspects… Maybe he wants a new girlfriend… and get rid of that old hag wife of his…maybe he’s in hiding from the mafia and thinks they found him… hahaha The whole story is a hoot, dear friend.
You just wrote a whole novel in a few lines – ha!
Store the number in your phone, then you just need to press one number to dial. No longer worry about misdialling.
Good idea – I am not famous for my common sense – thanks! Julie
Oh this is too much! 😀
I get calls from people who ask who I am and always respond with “You called ME, who would you like to speak to?” Please promise me that you will never, EVER, give out any details to a caller again… even if it was your own fault. 😉
~ Lynda
Yes I have learned a couple of lessons from this experience!