24 May 2009

Caller ID

Crazy Sister: I got your message and rang your mobile, but you didn't answer.

Givinya de Elba: Oh - that was YOU. I had just strapped a moaning kid and a not-moaning kid into car, and was driving and my mobile rang in my back pocket and I had to pull over and get the mobile out from under my giant backside, then you hung up and didn't leave a msg so I just gave up and drove on.

Crazy Sister: Mum's trained me to hang up when it goes to message bank, even though I don't agree with that philosophy. And the dumb thing is that when you called me at mum's place the other day, I ran past the nearest handset to the one with Caller ID so I could peer at the readout first.

Givinya de Elba: You didn't!

Crazy Sister: Yep - just like Mum does. It's learned behavior.

Givinya de Elba: That is very sad.

Crazy Sister: I know that.

Givinya de Elba: Whenever Mum and Dad get a call they peer at the caller ID, then get their glasses and peer at it again, then discuss at length who it could possibly be, and if they recognise the number etc., etc., all this time the poor schmuck is ringing and ringing! I think Mum and Dad could do without caller ID. One of these days it will ring out while they are reading the number out loud and asking if it's one they recognise.

Crazy Sister: But I can't imagine them deciding not to answer based on not knowing the number.

Givinya de Elba: So there's no point in using Caller ID to screen calls, is there?

Crazy Sister: No. I have caller ID and talked to a pervert for over a minute.

Givinya de Elba: Er-what?

Crazy Sister: I'm not too bright sometimes.



This is where the conversation got weird. I will let her tell you in her own words. For an account of how she managed to talk to a telephone pervert for over a minute, you'll have to head over to her post on

"Graze if you want to, but don't eat dirt."

10 comments:

Femina said...

In the interests of being equitable I'm posting this comment on both your blogs...

I love it when you two coordinate your blog posts!

And caller ID is a waste of money to me because I never memorise phone numbers... and if the phone rings between 5pm and 7pm I let it go to answering machine anyway because it's almost always someone trying to sell me some fantastic deal that I can't refuse (but do anyway).

Allegro ma non troppo said...

I should change my blog title to "Phone If You Want To But Don't Talk Dirt".

Givinya De Elba said...

Ha ha that's funny!

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Yes, that's funny, Crazy One... don't talk dirt ...

We don't have caller ID at home, but we do at work. It gives the name of the person -- doesn't it there?? I work in a congressional office, and have even had people call me that I had already tried to help, and give me a different name -- as if I am stupid and can't see the name on the caller ID and recognize the voice!!

Anyway, I mean, if Aussie caller ID only gives the number, huh? Who can remember all the numbers? Hubby and I have actually talked about getting caller ID here but so far have lived without it.

Nauntie Lush said...

I think that I am going to get a long distance plan that includes calls to Australia. This way I can be a part of these phone calls that you and Crazy Sister have, they are brilliant!

Givinya De Elba said...

Caller ID will display the name if you have already programmed the name & number into the phone. But 80% of the time you haven't, so it's down to number recognition again.

Aleta said...

Cute conversation. Hmmm, I found caller ID VERY useful when I was going through a divorce and the crazy EX was calling, leaving horrible messages, etc. I knew when to pick up and when not to, so it does still have some good uses. Lol.

Dee said...

i guess caller ID is good if you DONT want to answer a particular number.. but we all answer our phones anyway..

Alison said...

Love the alternate blog title for Crazy Sister!

You know, this story makes me glad my parents DON'T get caller ID. I've been wondering why they don't just join the rest of us already, but I could see them discussing the caller and that really would get on my nerves!

Sassy Britches said...

Am dying laughing. Dying. I love caller ID, but that's because I have photographic memory...so I know I'll recognize a number if I know the person. If not, I don't answer. I don't sit and wonder if I should or shouldn't; I just don't! I figure if they really want to tell me something, they'll leave it in the message bank (I love that you guys call it that--over here we call it voice mail).