Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Prank Calls, Dreams, and Missed Sleep

Last week I promised Chanel (who’s really great, if you haven’t checked her out, you should) that I would share my “prank phone call” experience after reading one that happened to her. Mine was not as recent, but it still sticks in my memory banks.

 

Let me set the stage.

 

My freshman year of high school, I was dating a senior. (What were my parents thinking allowing me to do that?!) He had a very common name. We’ll call him “John Smith.” He would call my house all the time and sometimes he would do silly stuff when I would pick up, like play a song or something. Now remember, this was before any of us (at least any of us in high school) had cell phones or even caller-id. When you heard the phone ringing, you had to answer and hope that it was someone you wanted to talk to. So one night the phone rang at my house and I answered it.

 

A man on the other end: “Hello. This is John Smith and I’d like to talk with the head of the household.”

Me (laughing because it sounded so serious): “Okay. That’s me.” (Obviously not true as I was only 15.)

John Smith: “You’re the head of the house?”

Me (being the typical teenager): “Yep!”

John Smith: ….

John Smith: “Okay, I’m calling to talk to you about…”

(I don’t remember what exactly it was now, but I continued to play along answering questions.)

Me (growing bored with the game): “Will you stop now and just talk to me?”

John Smith: “Stop what?”

Me: “Stop trying to prank me and just talk to me.”

John Smith: “I don’t understand. I’m from…” (I don’t remember the company name he said.)

Me: “You are not. Knock it off and talk to me!”

John Smith: “I really am. Is this the head of the household?”

Me: “Yes, now just talk to me!”

John Smith (growing very uncomfortable): “Um, are you sure you’re the head of the household?”

Me (finally coming to the realization that this is not my boyfriend): “Oh my God! I thought you were someone else! No, I’m not! Oh my God! I’m sorry!”

And I promptly hung up the phone. That man had probably never been so happy to end a sales call in his life.

 

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Have you ever been woken up so abruptly that you have no idea what’s going on, but spring to action, hoping to resolve the problem and still get back to bed to catch the few remaining minutes of sleep before your alarm goes off? That was me last night. I was in the middle of a dream about all of you, my blogging friends. I don’t really remember what was going on, but Hero was so excited to show off his new hairstyle. It was a mohawk dyed red (think UFC’s Dan Hardy.)

 

image credit

 

Anyway, I was sound asleep and dreaming when suddenly I heard my son make a loud noise in his room. I jumped out of bed, ran across my room and into the hallway where I met him coming out of his room. I’m thinking there’s very little time before my alarm is set to go off and I want him to go back to bed so I can get those last few precious minutes. I herded him back into his room and helped him into his bed. He started whining that he wanted his bouncy ball to sleep with, so I told him I’d get it for him and, (for the love of God!) stay in bed. I rushed out to the living room and after a moment or two of looking, couldn’t find it. I grabbed his MP3 player and took it in to him. I got him tucked in and I staggered back to my bed and looked at my clock as I came around to my side of the bed. 12:38 am. Normally, that would have been great because I’d still have a good long stretch to sleep. Last night however, not so great because I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I tossed and turned and counted in my head. Nothing. I thought about getting up to start writing, but I knew I’d really never get back to sleep if I did that. I started getting pissed because I could hear my husband’s deep breathing next to me and knew that he wasn’t fazed in the least by our son’s awakening. The last time I remember looking at the clock was around 1:20 am. Until 3:30 am when I heard my bedroom door open and my son start talking. I sat bolt upright in bed and shouted, “No!” That finally got my husband’s attention and I think he took our son back to bed. I can’t really remember.

 

Needless to say, hearing the alarm go off this morning was not a happy moment for me. (Not that it is any other day, but today it was exceptionally unwelcome.) To make matters worse, today I had to take my daughter in early for band rehearsal. (Which means leaving an hour early.) It’s not at her school, but at another elementary school in town, so I had to make sure my brain was functioning at a high enough level to go the right way. (I have been known to miss my turn and keep heading to her school when I was supposed to go to this other school for rehearsal. What? It’s not part of the routine to turn for the other school.) She apparently didn’t sleep well either because she was a real peach this morning.

 

I need a nap.

7 comments:

  1. I do not feel sorry for that salesman. Salesman call and irritate people unnecessarily and they don't like to take no for an answer. So I think he deserved to be wasting his time. It's funny. Did you ever tell your parents?

    Is this a common thing? Dreaming about the blogging community? I've dreamed about all of my remark leaving readers, too, and it feels so weird to dream about people you know but you don't know. You know?

    That made perfect sense if you read it right. Anyway, I didn't sleep well either. It must be something going around the blogosphere.

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  2. ahahaha serves John Smith right! Stupid sales people cold calling.

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  3. I would look funny with a mohawk. I used to dye my hair red though.

    It's awesome that you're dreaming of me, I'm flattered. It must be hard considering you've never actually seen what I look like. It'll be interesting to see if it matches up.

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  4. Hannah, I've decided to give you an award. One of the rules of the award is to pass it on to other bloggers whom deserve it. I don't really know if you've already gotten it, but here's hopin' you didn't. Refer to my page to copy the picture and post it on your blog!

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  5. That's what salespeople get for calling and bothering people. I feel bad for anyone who has to do that for the meager money I'm sure they pay...I'd hate myself for bothering people.

    As for waking in the middle of the night to kids...that is why I will never have any...I love my sleep WAY too much!

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  6. Chanel, I don't remember if I told my parents, but I'm sure I did because I was on the downstairs phone and they would have seen my reaction at the end. I completely know what you mean and my dream was the first time I had dreamt about all of you. Kinda strange at first, but I've read other people saying it's happened to them too.

    Alice, yes, it does sort of serve him right. I suppose they have to assume they're going to get some crazy people.

    Hero, you're welcome. It was one of those dreams where you can't tell who it is but you just know. The hair was the only clear image. And it won't matter what you look like cause you'll still be awesome!

    Suitor, thanks so much for thinking of me for the award! I read what you said about me too. You're too sweet!

    Jewels, I agree with you. I'd never be able to do that kind of job. I don't have the patience or the people-skills to do it. And it's not just the interrupted sleep that comes with kids, but you have to be careful what you wear to bed. Can't spring out of bed to tend to a kid with "the girls" falling out of a nightie! :)

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  7. Very useful and so peaceful blog for us. Such a good work and so good write up.

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Thanks for stopping by and reading! Sit back, grab a drink and visit for while. I love the company.