Wrong number?

What do you do when someone rings you but it is obvious that they didn’t mean to ring you?

This was my conundrum the other day. The phone rang and there was a familiar voice at the end. The only problem was that I wasn't who they were really looking for.

“Hello?” I said.

“Hello.” Came the timid reply. There was recognition but obviously not what they were expecting. “Um...” there was continued hesitation.

“Hi, D,” I said helpfully, “This is Marjorie,”

There was a pause.

“Hi, how are you?” I said, “How’s the family? Did J tell you that we popped around the other day?” I had started the conversation in the hope that she realised that I didn’t mind her calling me, even when she didn’t mean to.

“I was home when you called by, but I must have been in bed. J didn’t tell me.”

“Never mind,” I said, drawing the conversation to a close. “Maybe we’ll catch up another time.”

As a final note I said, “You really need to sort out your phone book you know, D.” I said with a laugh. “I know you didn’t mean to ring me. But it’s OK, because it’s nice talking to you anyway.”

“Yes, Marj,” she said sheepishly. “I know.”

Sensing she really needed to make her original intended call, I said with a laugh, “Take care. I’ll catch you another time... maybe when you really mean to call me.”

She echoed my laughter rather weakly and also said goodbye.

With that the conversation ended and I put the phone down.

I know what I felt like when she went; I don’t know what she felt like ... again. You see, she keeps calling me and then saying, “Oh, Marj! It wasn’t you I meant to call. Sorry!”

At times like that, it is difficult to know what to do, whether to talk politely for a few seconds or to just say, 

“No worries. Bye.” And put the receiver back down.

Wrong number. Wrong person. Uncomfortable times.

Sometimes when we contact people we get the wrong number and a bad connection, too.