Call from a stranger

Ring,,,,ring,,,,ring’

“Hello”

“Hi, I’m looking for Leslie.  Is this Lageslie I am speaking with?”

“I’m sorry sir, you have the wrong number.”

“But I was given this number from my mother who told me that a woman by the name of Leslie had called asking for me.  She gave her this number to make sure that I would call her back as soon as I had gotten home from work.  And since I don’t know who you are, and I have never known anybody by anyone with that name, I felt I should at least call the number I was given.”

“Well, I said.  That’s ok.  I will let you go then.  Good bye.”

“Hello”

“Hello, I’m looking for Leslie.  Is this Leslie that I am speaking with?”

“Can I verify that the number I just called is 974-555-5678.?”

“Sir, whoever you are, I implore you to stop calling me.”  You must know that I can easily trace this call and report you to the police and I don’t think you would be very happy if I did that.”

(about to put down to the phone with a slam….)

“Wait…. Please don’t hang up the phone.  I am very lonely and I really need someone to talk to.  When I heard your sweet voice on the other side of the phone, I felt encouraged.  I know this sounds strange because I don;t know who you are from Adam, but you sound like someone with a strong character.

l

“Well thank you for the compliment, sir.  Don’t you have any friends or family that you can talk to?”

“Unfortunately, I have been living alone for the last few years, having lost my parents in a car crash.  I work as a security guard in a bank on the midnight shift, so I don’t even have any friends from work.”

“I am sorry to hear that.  What is your name?  Where are you from?  How do I know that I can trust you not to track me down and come after me.” 

“I have trust issues myself.  You don’t know anything about me, as I know nothing about you.”

“Well I can assure you that I am very trustworthy and would never do you any harm.  I wouldn’t even hurt a fly.  And if a large bank can trust me to secure their building, you can be well assured that I am not someone to be feared.  Besides, I am very honest.  I always tell the truth, that is until tonight.”

“What is your name?”

“Bruce.  Bruce Learner.  I’m from Philadelphia. “ 

“Well Bruce, my name is “Penelope”, but my friends call me Penny.” I am also from Philadelphia.  I actually work at a bank as well.  I am vice president of Marketing.

“Do you work in the building on 30th Avenue?  The building facing The Rock and Music Store?”

“Why yes, I do.  What a small world.”

“How long have you been working there?”

“For the last five years.”

“Can I ask you your age?

“Absolutely not.  That’s personal and I don’t mind talking to you on the phone, but I refuse to give you any personal information.  But if you wish, you could always take a guess and I’ll tell you if you are warm or cold.”

“Ummm.  I would guess in your late 20s.”

“You’re quite warm.”

“Well I have no problem telling you that I am 29, and single as well.”  

(ignore remark but keeps on talking)

“What do you do when you’re not working,”  I asked.

“I am writing a novel...a love story about how challenging it is to find the right partner in this topsy turvy world of ours.”  I’ve done a lot of research in the field, being single and all.”hi

“Do you plan to make me a part of your research.  Is that why we are having this conversation?”

“No, not at all.  You really do have trust issues, and they are coming through very loudly.  Did you have a bad relationship with someone?  Is that why you are so skeptical?

“I guess you could say that”.  I was engaged to a highschool sweetheart.  He went off to College after graduation, met a girl from the other side of the tracks (as I heard from friends of mine) and married her.  He never even called me to apologize.”  But again, your getting a little too personal with me.”

“What about you?  What is your story… any love relations on your side of the fence?”

“I don’t have any relationships myself.  I have heard too many stories about broken relationships and have promised I would keep from falling into any girl’s love web.”

No, I know that one day I will meet the right woman and treat her like a princess.  They say that everyone has a mate somewhere out there and they will meet when the time is right.”

“It’s funny, the more I listen to you, the more you are making sense to me.”

Have you ever gone on only dating sites like E-Harmony or POF?”

No, I’m nor into online dating at all.  I tried a few times and found such phoney people on the site.  The girls show old pictures of themselves and don’t look anything like they claim and they are usually pretty shallow.

“That is what I find with the guys as well.  Old pictures with great bodies, turn out to be old guys with beer bellies.  It’s just so depressing.  I always thought I would meet the perfect man, but I haven’t found him yet.”

“By the way, what is POF?”

“POF stands for Plenty of Fish and it is supposed to be a free dating site.  It’s only free if you want to look, but not actually meet.  I am not desperate to pay for finding a man.

(a few minutes of silence on part of both speakers)

“Do you realize we have been talking for two hours already?”  Where has the time gone?

“I don’t know”.”

 “May I call you again?”

“I guess so.”

Was it a happy ending?  You decide.