Is it Just a Wrong Number?

Or is it a Signal?

Michele Starkey

I read this beautiful article in the Peoria Journal about a lady who received a wrong number phone call. The caller said, "Hi, how are you?" and when the woman said, "Not so good," the caller asked if she could pray for her and she did. The call ended with the woman stating, "I just hope when you get the wrong number again, God lets it be mine."

I've often dialed wrong numbers but I have never asked to pray for anyone. In fact, I've quickly apologized and hung up. Imagine the difference I could have made if I had taken a moment to ask, "How are you?" Perhaps God was opening a window and I just slammed it shut.

I've been thinking about those random meetings and phone calls lately when you cross paths with a stranger or a caller. Then, this morning my friend posted the hysterical Carol Burnett episode that she did with Tim Conway, titled "Wrong Number."

If you have never watched it, I encouraged you to spend a few minutes watching it here.

A very jealous Burnett begins to ask Conway if the wrong number is a "signal." I won't spoil the outcome because you should watch it for yourself and enjoy some good old fashioned humor. Carol Burnett was hysterical and I miss enjoying those Carol Burnett shows.

Back to the wrong numbers and chance encounters, I recall a wrong number that my grandmother received many moons ago. It went something like this,

Grandmother: "Hello"

Caller, "Hi, is Ethel there?"

Grandmother: "No, Ethel is at her house."

Caller, "Is Ethel okay?"

Grandmother: "She was okay when I spoke to her this afternoon. Why?"

Caller, "I just wanted to make sure she was alright. Bob died you know?"

Grandmother: "Who is Bob?"

Caller, "Bob? He's her dead husband."

Grandmother: "Does Norman know?"

Caller, "Who is Norman?"

Grandmother: "Her current husband."

Caller, "I must have the wrong number."

Grandmother: "Do you want Ethel's number?"

We laughed about that for years. Wrong numbers. They lead us to strangers and sometimes there is 'signal' involved and sometimes it is just God opening a window.

If you didn't watch Carol Burnett and Tim Conway, I'll give you a second chance. It really is worth it. Click here.

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9gqQYuipF7U#!

http://www.pjstar.com/features/randomacts/x948305274/Wrong-number-caller-is-just-right-after-all

Published by Michele Starkey

Optimist who enjoys writing, laughing and spreading good news. If I have but one life to live, I hope to make mine memorable. My epitaph will read: she lived, she loved, she left.  View profile

64 Comments

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  • Sandra Petersen1/23/2012

    We still get wrong numbers on our house phone. Switch two digits in our phone number and you can get the local home video rental store, and vice versa. Which obviously quite a few people have!

  • Tony Payne1/23/2012

    It used to be funny getting the wrong number, as long as the call didn't come in the middle of the night. These days I rarely have to dial anything, as I have the numbers programmed in, but I remember the old rotary phones and the nightmare you would have dialing. My aunt had one that sat on a polished side table, and you would invariably get almost to the end of dialing, have to rotate the dial all the way, causing the phone to slide, and then you would have to begin again. It's so much easier now.

  • Marie Stine9/29/2011

    Thanks for the chuckle!

  • Linda M. McCloud9/28/2011

    What a great story. Never really talked to anyone who called here with a wrong number. Maybe I missed a great opportunity or two.

  • Sandy James9/24/2011

    Your grandmother's wrong number story is hilarious!

  • Bethany R. Marsh9/22/2011

    Excellent! Sorry for the late comment. Hope you're having a great week. : )

  • Sunshine Wilson9/21/2011

    Ha Ha! Great story

  • Vincent Summers9/21/2011

    I get your point with this. It is not unlike what happens to me all the time when I go to a stranger's door to talk about the Bible. Some of the people I get to meet are just great people!

  • Mike Powers9/21/2011

    This was really a fun read. Thanks!

  • Cycy Larson9/20/2011

    So funny :)

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