Within hours of getting my new cell phone number in San Diego, I started getting calls for a man named Martin (usually pronounced "Mar-teeeenh" with a thick accent). They don't come too often, maybe 12 calls in the last 4 months, but enough for me to notice and get mildly annoyed. Perhaps the root of my annoyance is that at least half of these calls have been made during the wee hours of the morning.
I always answer, of course, because if someone's calling me past midnight, the caller on the other end usually has something very important to share with me. So I answer, groggily, only to discover someone yelling in my ear "Mar-teeeeeehn... something in Spanish... Mar-teeeeehn... something else in Spanish...." and so on, at which point I tell them they have the wrong number and to pleeeeease tell everyone they know that Martin has fled the country and no longer has this number. I took Martin to be quite the partier.
That is, until this morning, when I learned the truth about Martin.
Martin is/was an immigration officer.
The man who called at 2 am last night asking for Martin called again this morning to explain that his girlfriend got her visa taken away last night at the Mexican border and he was trying desperately to resolve the matter and if I could just please be kind enough to give him Martin's new phone number he wouldn't bother me again. Poor guy. I told him I didn't know who Martin was and wished him luck. Guess I should stop telling people that Martin has fled the country. They might not think that's very funny after all.
A few weeks ago I was telling my boss that I keep getting calls and text messages (in Spanish) for some guy that used to have my number.
"Is it Armando?" he said quickly. "Because I get calls for him all the time and apparently he owes alot of people alot of money." Glad to know I'm not the only one...
About Me
- The Tilted Tulip
- It's time I come clean. My name is Erika and I'm a thrift-aholic. I'm a stay-at-home wife, mama of one, and on those rare moments when I'm not at a thrift store, garage/estate sale, someone's attic, etc., I can be found at home in my teeny-tiny apartment in sunny San Diego making things out of felt, reading blogs, baking pies, chillin' with my fat cat, Quincy, smiling at my husband and making up ridiculous jingles. Although the sun and I are not the best of friends (I prefer cold, drizzly days to palm trees on the beach, and long socks and scarves to flip flops and bathing suits), I'm discovering the many joys of Southern California living. I'm making it my new goal in life to bring you a treasure-trove of vintage and handmade goodies and hopefully bring some cheer and goodwill into your life.
6 comments:
I got calls for Adam Waxman for up to 2 years after I got my cell phone. One message was from MTV telling him to come in for an audition. Poor Adam Waxman should have updated his resume.
We still get calls for a "Dixie" for free casino trips and cruises. Do you think I could pass for a 60-year-old and go on one for her? :)
WOW. That is crazy. And annoying-especially the late calls at night. Funny you should mention it I just got a random call from a bank and it was supposed to be really urgent, so to be the nice person I called them back to let them know I am not TERRY THOMPSON. Of course it was some type of call center and not a direct line and the guy kept asking me do you know terry thompson, um no. well what is your name. you don't really need to know my name just tell caroline the number she is calling for terry thompson is not terry thompson. so you don't know terry thompson. NO! I didn't really yell. and then he was like well what is your number...the number carolyn called for terry thompson...then he read it to me. aye de mi. I told him I wasn't trying to be difficult but I just wanted to leave a quick voice mail as a courtesy to carolyn...argghhhh
Here in Guatemala they steal people's cell phones and cell them with the same number, of course. So somewhere out there are Guatemalans getting phone calls for "Beth" and "James" (thought not at odd hours of the night). Where did your cell phone come from?? :)
Beth-
Now that you mention it, I did get a couple calls for a some guy named James....just thought it was a coincidence... ;)
My wrong number phone calls usually go something like this...
Me: Hello?
Caller: Mammmma?
Me: Uhhh...excuse me?
Caller: You ain't my MAaammmma
Me: Nope, I'm not.
Caller: (Click)
I believe I have gotten around 10-15 calls for Mamma.
Most of the time I can't understand the caller's thick St. Louis/ebonics accent. and I am from NOCO!
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