Too Smart Phones?

Last Saturday morning our phone started, I was going to say ringing but it doesn't really ring. I'll start again. Last Saturday morning our phone started honking? trilling? chiming?

Last Saturday morning our phone started making the sound it makes to let us know someone somewhere wants our attention and time. It was 5:30 AM.

What is the first thing you think of when your phone makes noise that early? Someone died, right? It so happens I was into the full blown effects of my flu shot reaction and in bed. I had buds stuffed in my ear canals listening to "Let George Do It" an old radio program from the 40's.

The phone continued to make noise while my brain was deciding what to do about it. Finally my body engaged. I ripped out the ear buds, pulled the tangled blankets off, and ran to the phone. Just as I reached it the noise stopped. I gave it a minute and checked voice mail. There was no message which worried me even more. Then I thought to check the "call log" and saw the call originated in Michigan, it was from my friend Harriet.

The thing you need to know here is Harriet only sees 5:30 AM when she is headed for bed not getting up. Her days usually start around noon or so. When I call her it's late night or even early morning, midnight or 1AM. Harriet knows Wanda and I are early risers but wouldn't call that early. Thinking something was wrong I called her back.

She answered almost immediately. "Did you just call here?" I asked. She said she had and added, "It's kind of a long story but everything is fine. Do you want to call me back later?"

I called later and here is what happened.

I called Harriet Friday night, she didn't hear the phone, I left a message. Saturday morning at 8:30AM in Michigan Harriet got a call from Comcast to confirm a service visit. By the time she was awake enough to answer the phone she missed the call, they left a message. She didn't want them to cancel the service visit so in a panic she called them back, or thought she did. She hit the wrong recall and was calling here, at 5:30AM, Saturday morning.

When you have a number in your phone data bank it appears on the screen when you call it. Harriet thought she was recalling Comcast while my name is showing on her I-Phone. She told me while waiting for an answer she glanced at the screen and said, to herself, "Was the guy's name from Comcast, Chuck?".......

There are times when you need to be smarter than the phone.