Late Night Phone Calls

Late night phone calls are not for the faint of heart.

Ever since my mom was diagnosed with bone cancer I have come to dread the harsh ringing of the telephone. During the day her illness may cross my mind briefly when I hear the phone ring, however it is the ringing of the phone at night that really sets my teeth on edge.

Recently I have been receiving a rash of phone calls after 10:00 PM. Each time the phone rings my heart starts racing, my hands begin to shake and mind begins to manufacture various scenarios all involving my mother. When I finally manage to answer the phone I find that I have been holding my breath in anticipation of the worst.

Of course as soon as I greet the caller I find that nothing is wrong.

It is a friend just wanting to shoot the breeze.

It is a wrong number, usually dialed by someone to incoherent to be dialing a phone in the first place. Someone should start begin educating the populace on the dangers of drunk dialing.

It is some idiotic company who has not realized that in the past two months not a single fax they have attempted to my phone number has been successful, because there is no fax machine at this number. I have attempted to contact the moron who keeps faxing here but I have not been successful. One would think after thirty or so failed attempts that someone might think to verify the number they are calling but I guess that is to simple of a solution.

Unless I have made previous arrangements with you please do not call my house after 10:00 PM. The human heart is fragile and I want to keep mine beating as long as possible but sooner rather than later the shock of the ringing phone is going to send me into cardiac arrest.