Actually, no. I'm not Sam's Club

[EvilAuthor]

I think I'd go insane if I got calls at 2am on a regular basis. Even when my sleep schedule was screwed up and I was awake until 4am, I don't like getting calls that late at night.

[Dreamstalker]

Ditto. Any calls I get after 10 PM local time had better be emergencies...of course, the ex thinks that calling me at midnight to talk about nothing is an emergency (dude, have you not heard of time zones? just because it's before 10 PM in your neck of the woods does not mean the same for me).

When I was in NM for college I tended to get messages left on my cell phone (which was registered in MA) for pizza delivery. I had a feeling that the callers were known to the place they were trying to get ahold of as no numbers were ever left. I could not locate a pizza place anywhere around Santa Fe with a number even close to mine.

[PepperElf]

and wouldn't you know the other one was into wild sex and drug parties.... and got calls at 2-3am.

that's when you call the police on them. well for the drug part that is

[JLRodgers]

that's when you call the police on them. well for the drug part that is

Nah, I knew what hall they lived in (the "student's" name for the dorm building was "greasy dick".... uh, let's just say that pretty much sums up why I wouldn't bother).

[NotSoInnocent]

I recently moved into my own home (ah, the bliss of home ownership...) and, apparently, my new home phone number used to belong to a pediatric doctors' office.

Frantic calls at 3am because a teething baby is puking... *sighs* Good thing I'm a mom of four. At least I know the answers to some of the more common issues. Most calls are resolved in this manner:

Me: Ta-dah! Woman of HIGHER ENLIGHTENMENT REGARDING ALL THINGS CHILD RELATED!
WP: Worried Parent

Me: (schpeil about not being a doc, doc's number changed, blah blah blah)

WP: Well... could you help me?

Me: (schpeil about not being a doc) ... but I can try, if you'd like. I -do- have four little ones. What's up?

WP: (insert baby's symptoms)

Me: Hmmm... Sounds like it could be (insert probable issue). (insert common treatment, usually liquids/rest/teething tablets). If you're really worried, though, I'd take the little one to the ER.

WP: Thanks! I'll try that and if he/she doesn't get better, I'll head to the ER.

-Alternate, if high fever, symptoms lasting more than just a few hours, baby not eating/pooping/peeing, severe pain or lassitude-

Me: Take him/her to the ER, now. Better safe than sorry. Hope he/she gets to feeling better.

WP: Ok! Thanks for listening! (sound of receiver being hurriedly put down)


Hmmm... Wonder what makes folks listen to me that late at night. *shrugs*

[TOLady]

Many years ago, when I first moved away from home to the Our Fair City, I got very own phone number for the first time.

I was very surprised to begin receiving calls from people the same day it was installed. I hadn't even really let people know what my number was, but people were calling me! Joy of joys people like me - they really must like me to track me down so fast!!!

Unfortunately for me, the previous owner of the number I was assigned had the same first name as I! For the first few months, there were many times when I would answer the phone and end up talking to someone for 10 or more minutes before realizing they were thinking I was the other TOLady.

Well - at least she had nice friends and I never got any heavy breathers or anything.

[Jay 2K Winger]

When my family lived in the Dallas area for three years, our phone number had originally been assigned to some deadbeats who had apparently run up some debt with some collection agencies or whatever. More to the point, they were also using their old number (now OUR number) for job applications, so we would still occasionally get calls from employers, and the occasional "you owe us money, Deadbeat," calls from the collection agencies.

Fortunately, nothing too serious ever came out of those collection agencies, as far as I know.

Worst case of a sweet-fuck-all-in-the-morning phone call I got was from my ex-GF. At the time, we were still on fairly amicable terms. She called me up at 2am on a Saturday night (Sunday morning), when I was asleep trying to get rest in before my 5am shift at work. I muted the ringtone, texted her "I was asleep."

SHE CALLS BACK.

I mute it again, and texted "THAT WASN'T AN INVITATION TO TRY AGAIN." And then I muted my phone except for my alarm.

[imakemistakestoo]

When we moved into our new home 12 years ago we couldn't wait to get a phone in. What little did we know we would get a number I would assume use to belong to someone Spanish. My Spanish is very limited. I may be able to count to 20 to you and may be able to ask you your name or where you live but that's it. Talk Spanish to me and you loose me altogether lol.
For a couple of months we would get phone calls asking for Mr. or Mrs. Spanish person and I would say you have the wrong number. The person would speak Spanish and I would reply in Spanish I don't speak Spanish, please speak in English. They would hang up. No problem. I figured maybe someday these people would realize they are calling the wrong number.
Well the phone calls did stop but only after a very interesting afternoon trying to convince these people they had the wrong number. I went through the routine a couple of times. The phone rings and I figure here I go again. This time it was a Spanish operator insisting on these people had the right number and wanted to talk to Mr. or Mrs. Spanish person. I again went through I don't speak Spanish please English. She kept insisting on they had the right number so I ended up hanging up on her. The phone rings again about maybe five minutes later and I was ready to rip this person a new ear. This time it was an English speaking operator. I can here someone Spanish in the background but I politely explained to the English operator what was going on and I wish these people get the hint they have the wrong number. She apologized and the phone calls finally stopped.

[EvilAuthor]

Wow, Jay, the deadbeat sounds like an idiot. I can understand not wanting to update debt collectors, but putting the wrong number on job applications? They call you when they're interested. That's important information.

And sorry about the ex. I know about that all to well.

One of my friends introduced me to a buddy of his. The guy was as dense as a stone and. He'd call me in the early am all the time when I was on the east coast and it got more vexing when I changed time zones. To help myself out, I gave him a special ringtone so I know when to ignore my phone. I don't bother with text messages that late at night so I just silence the phone when it plays his ringtone when I'm trying to sleep. He tends to take that as a cue to call me back immediately. If I don't throw the phone across the room, I'll answer, tell him I'm sleeping and then hang up. It never fails. No matter how many times I go through this with him, he always calls back because we got "disconnected."

[Shamus]

I've had an occasional wrong text message, but I got a few calls when I first got my cell-phone and couldn't figure out most of the damn thing. My favorite mis-dial was from a woman calling a client that she could come pick up the puppies; she left no number.

I thought to myself, "Honey, you ain't gettin' any dogs today."

Delete.

[EvilAuthor]

In a beautiful display of not being able to learn, the SC who called me at 2am called me back last night. I know it was him because all the people I know from that area code have been stored into my cell phone and display as names.

I told him that the store was going out of business and to call the store a few blocks away.

[Yfandes]

I was a repeat mis-dialer (well maybe not after the first one). Let me set the scene:

I'm in Los Alamos, New Mexico, visiting my mother. I lived in the UK at that time and knew *nobody* in Los Alamos. I was 19, my mom had recently gotten divorced and was alone. And my mother had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was going through (one of many) a crazy patch, and had told the Dr "dont tell me about it, its too negative, tell my daughter".

So one day I was calling her house or the hospital (I can't remember) and I misdialed and got someone else. After ascertaining I was 1 number off, he asked me what was wrong in such a kind voice that I told him in summary. He wished me well, and in the days to follow I called him on purpose a few more times (with his permission). That anonymous stranger probably saved my sanity, just by listening.

Edit: sorry to bring such a downer to a lighthearted thread. I'm the first person to be rude to repeat miss-dialing asshats. But this guys kindness was just amazing.