Why Has Phone Ettiquette Gone Out the Window?

In my dream world a wrong phone number call goes something like this:


  • Me: “Hello?”
  • Caller: “Is <random> there?”
  • Me: “Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
  • C: “Oh, terribly sorry, have a nice night.”
  • M: “No problem, goodbye.”
  • click

Of course, real life is far different…

  • Me: “Hello?”
  • Caller: “HELLO???!!!!” [yes, he sounded like an AOLer in a chatroom]
  • M: “Hello?” [confused]
  • C: “[ random unknown words in a foreign language ]
  • M: “Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
  • C: “HELLO???!!!!
  • M: “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.” [maybe he didn’t hear me]
  • C: “Hello”
  • M: “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
  • C: “Hello?” [note: it didn’t sound like a joke, but someone with bad hearing or something, maybe a missing brain]
  • M: hangs up