I have two phones. One is a cell phone provided by my employer, the other is my house phone. When the house phone rings, it could be anyone. Quite often it is someone calling the local nursing home, the last four digits of their number being similar to mine. I don’t always answer my home number.
For “security reasons” I can’t take the cell phone to work with me, so I don’t use it for much beyond a time piece and phone book at home. About the only people who have my cell phone number are those from work, so when I get a call I know it is work related and I make every effort to answer it.
The other day, the cell phone buzzes (I keep it on vibrate) while we were having breakfast. Since it probably someone from work, I go to answer it. Whoever called apparently didn’t have time to leave a message and has hung up. As soon as I sit back down to breakfast, the house phone rings. Now I know someone from work is calling. Because they didn’t leave a message on the cell, I am sure there is some urgency prompting this call to my home phone number. Here’s a approximation of this conversation. My silent thoughts are in parenthesis.
Hello?
Hey, it’s T. I’m sorry to bother you at home.
(As opposed to where? Would you happily bother me at the doctor’s office? )
Do you have a minute?
(I did, but wasted it answering this call.) I’m in the middle of breakfast. Can I call you back?
Sure.
(Pigs might learn to floss before I do call back.) Okay. Later.
After a leisurly breakfast, I return the call.
Brian's Blog 