Party Line

Rrrrrring…erring, “hold on…I'm coming!” Yelling at the phone.  I turned around cooking fries potatoes at the sound of the yellow land line that wa hanging the kitchen wall. Grabbing it quickly, holding the handset with my chin and shoulder. 

“Hello?” I asked while trying to dry my hands off with the dish towel. 

“Good morning, is this Katie Lee?” A man with a husky voice asked. 

Grabbing the phone from a tight chin grip “No…”

A woman sounded “Hello, yes this is Katie, but hey the other woman needs to get off this party line. The call is for me.” The woman said with a hateful screechy voice. 

I knew who this was, my nosey neighbor from across the street. I couldn't stand the woman. “No, I will not get off. Sir, go ahead and speak to Katie.”  This was the perfect way to get her back from the time she hit my mailbox with her car. 

“Miss Lee, I'm calling from Credit Plus credit card, your late on your payment.” He said to her in that sexy voice of his. 

“Wait!! Don't say any else until that woman hangs up. Damn party line.” The neighbor raised her voice over the phone to me. 

How dare she order me to get off when I pay good money for this cheaper phone service. Turning around to turn the stove off I said sternly.. “I will not!” 

“Mister! I will call you back another day!” She screamed through the phone then I heard a banging. 

Is she hitting the phone on the wall? I thought to myself as I pushed the phone away to look at it like I would be able to see through it. 

“Hello?” The sexy voice said.

“Hi,  I think Katie hung up, sorry about that but she's my neighbor and I couldn't resist.” Laughing as I talked to the voice on the other end. 

“I see..” He said, I thought I heard a soft laugh.

I couldn't help but smile, “I actually have a Credit Plus card also, but I'm not behind on the payment.” I said wanting to carry on this conversation before Katie gets back on the phone. 

“Hmmm you do, would you want to upgrade? The interest rate would be better.” He said in that sexy voice with a hint of mischief.  “If you give me your name and phone number I can pull up your account.” 

“Well, Hmmm…ok if you promise to call me back so we can have an actual conversation.” I said, I would love to see what he looks like. I bet he's as sexy as his voice. 

He chuckled, “we will see, what is your name?”. 

“Samantha Rose.”

“Phone number?” He asked 

“367-446-9101. But remember you have to call me back now.”

All of a sudden I heard a click and the annoying voice yelled “Get off the line!! I can't call the credit card company if you're always on the damn phone!” Katie yelled. 

I turned to walk back to my stove when the cord twisted up and the phone pulled away from my face and hit the floor. Trying to grab it mid-air but lost the battle. I sighed, bent and picked the yellow phone up off the floor. “No Katie you get off.”  I told her super sweet and softly, mom always said you can kill a fly quicker with sugar than salt. 

Bang, bang, bang…”Are you trying to kill the phone Katie?” I had to ask, I knew she was slamming the phone against her poor wall. I could just picture it being full of dents. 

“Listen, I'm going to let both of you women go, I have other customers to call but I will definitely follow up with both. Take care.” The handsome man said as I heard him disconnect. 

I hung the receiver back on the base. Staring at the yellow corded phone on my wall. Sad that I didn't even get his name. “Oh well, wasn't like I actually knew him.” I turned and walked over to the stove to finish my dinner. Once it was done I sat down to eat. I kept thinking about that voice.

Later that evening I got my pajamas on..Rrring, Rrring. I jumped up off the couch and ran into the kitchen trying to catch the call before whoever it was hung up. Grabbing the receiver quickly.

“Hello?” I said breathlessly from running.

“Samantha?” A husky deep voice on the other end said 

My eyes lit up , I recognize that voice. “ Yes it is, and who do I have these pleasure of speaking with?”

“My name is Tommy, I had to call back. Not because of the credit card but I wanted to talk to you. I just loved the way you laugh.” 

“My laugh? You like it huh.” I was so excited he called me back. 

“I do, very much. You sound so familiar. I can't quite place why.” Tommy said like he was trying to remember. 

He started to laugh. “What's funny?” I started to laugh with him, not sure why but he was  contagious. 

“I've figured out why you sounded so familiar. Did you go to East High School in Ohio?’ he asked.

“Yes I did “ I said slowly my laughing had stopped. 

“I'm Tommy Burns, we dated in ninth grade.”

“Tommy Burns? The one that broke my heart?” What a small world.” I said remembering how I thought he was so handsome. 

The doorbell started to ring then someone started to pound on my front door. As I turned around the front door slammed open and walked in Katie. Mad as hell. She walked up toe, grabbed the phone from my hand and slammed it on the base. 

“I need you off so I can call the credit card guy back!!” She screamed at me. I stood there silently watching her leave. 

Souch for talking to Tommy. I didn't get his number or where he lived And he probably thinks I hung up on him. Maybe he will call back.