disclaimer - read meIf one notices a stray cell phone and it rings, should one answer it? If one does, what happens next?
This finally happened to me last night.
When the cell phone rings
When the cell phone rings
<i>Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.</i> --Samuel Pepys
Re: When the cell phone rings
I think, definitely, yes, answer the phone.CAM wrote:If one notices a stray cell phone and it rings, should one answer it?
About a year ago (I think), on a slightly crummy weather day, we saw a cellphone lying in the street beside a parked car. Obviously, it had been dropped there by the owner.
We picked it up and went to our local video rental place. We asked the guy if he would mind if we left the phone there. Then we telephoned one of the numbers on the phone and explained that we had found the phone and hoped the person we were calling would recognize the number. Because, of course everyone (except us) has caller ID!! After a number of phone calls back and forth, the phone was returned to its rightful owner (the owner telephoned her own phone and after talking to us said she wouldn't mind at all if we brought the phone to her house which was on our way home anyway).
So? What happened next when you answered the phone, CAM? I hope it's a thrilling tale of intrigue!CAM wrote:If one notices a stray cell phone and it rings, should one answer it? If one does, what happens next?
So... have YOU backed up your files lately? And defragged too!?
Re: When the cell phone rings
If I lost my cell phone, I would phone it hoping that someone would answer it and tell me where it was.CAM wrote:If one notices a stray cell phone and it rings, should one answer it? If one does, what happens next?
But if I heard a stray cell phone ringing, I still might be a bit wary of answering it in case I heard something scary. (I'm imagining a dark shadowy street and creepy music and a spooky voice on the phone saying ... well, now my imagination has failed to provide any further details.)
Re: When the cell phone rings
It's not as if what was on the other side of the cellphone could reach into your brain to do anything to you. Or can it???Barbara wrote:if I heard a stray cell phone ringing, I still might be a bit wary of answering it in case I heard something scary. (I'm imagining a dark shadowy street and creepy music and a spooky voice on the phone saying ... well, now my imagination has failed to provide any further details.)
(cue REALLY creepy music and a few lightning flashes...) The only reason I can think of to NOT answer the stray cell phone is that I might be concerned that it will take up too much of my precious (*cough*) time to deal with it.
So... have YOU backed up your files lately? And defragged too!?
I know I'm weird - it's true, some might even say a little sick. But I'm the kind of guy on seeing an unfamiliar trash bag, for example. In place where it shouldn't be I immediately think; body parts, dead kittens and other stuff you don't even want to know about.
If I were sitting somewhere - anywhere - and an unattended phone rang? I'd be more inclined to think intrigue, something about which I might prefer not to know anything at all. There are just too many awful possibilities.....
INT. EMPTY BUS STATION. LATE NIGHT. POV: A black cell phone sits unattended on an empty grey bench. Beside the bench is a light tan suitcase. Suddenly; without warning, the cell phone springs to life and begins to vibrate. An angry wasp... Zzzuut!!.... Zzzuut!!!... Zzzuut!!.... Zzzuut!!!
Lone passerby. A middle aged man in a blue jacket stops, looks at the phone. Looks around. Nobody there. Hesitates, uncertain. Picks up the phone, presses the call button and puts the phone to his ear....
"Hello...? Hello?", he says. Listens....
Finally. A female voice. Unfamiliar. Unpleasant....
"Okay, it's yours. I'll make sure you get it. But you have to promise me...."
or
"She's in the washroom. Just make sure you don't fall on your ass!"
or
"Christ Almighty! God Dammit! Where the F*ck are you?!!!"
or
"Run, Ackmed! RUUUUN!"
or
"Stan....? Stan????"
- Dataryder
If I were sitting somewhere - anywhere - and an unattended phone rang? I'd be more inclined to think intrigue, something about which I might prefer not to know anything at all. There are just too many awful possibilities.....
INT. EMPTY BUS STATION. LATE NIGHT. POV: A black cell phone sits unattended on an empty grey bench. Beside the bench is a light tan suitcase. Suddenly; without warning, the cell phone springs to life and begins to vibrate. An angry wasp... Zzzuut!!.... Zzzuut!!!... Zzzuut!!.... Zzzuut!!!
Lone passerby. A middle aged man in a blue jacket stops, looks at the phone. Looks around. Nobody there. Hesitates, uncertain. Picks up the phone, presses the call button and puts the phone to his ear....
"Hello...? Hello?", he says. Listens....
Finally. A female voice. Unfamiliar. Unpleasant....
"Okay, it's yours. I'll make sure you get it. But you have to promise me...."
or
"She's in the washroom. Just make sure you don't fall on your ass!"
or
"Christ Almighty! God Dammit! Where the F*ck are you?!!!"
or
"Run, Ackmed! RUUUUN!"
or
"Stan....? Stan????"
- Dataryder
At this point all I can tell you is; what we do know is far less than what we don't know.
Excellent, Data Ryder! In my case the phone was in the ferry terminal, so who knows where the owner was or where s/he usually was. I answered. "Nathan" (from call display) sounded confused until I explained. He said he'd contact the owner and have her phone me. We took the phone with us on the ferry, and the owner came over the next day to get it.DataRyder wrote:Lone passerby. A middle aged man in a blue jacket stops, looks at the phone. Looks around. Nobody there. Hesitates, uncertain. Picks up the phone, presses the call button and puts the phone to his ear.... "Hello...? Hello?", he says. Listens.... ... Dataryder
<i>Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.</i> --Samuel Pepys
Re: When the cell phone rings
Yes, it can reach directly into your brain through your ear. Whoooooooo.ejm wrote: It's not as if what was on the other side of the cellphone could reach into your brain to do anything to you. Or can it???
Just like scary movies can do it through your eyes and your ears. I still get the SHIVERS when I think about The Birds, and for months after I watched it on TV when I was 13?, I didn't want to shut my eyes to go to sleep.
Re: When the cell phone rings
Oh my goodness!! You're right! I still have problems whenever I vacuumBarbara wrote: I still get the SHIVERS when I think about The Birds, and for months after I watched it on TV when I was 13?, I didn't want to shut my eyes to go to sleep.
up a large clump of dust that doesn't want to go through the tube - the noise is JUST like the opening segment of an episode of The Outer Limits
that I snuck down and saw when I was about 10 because I wasn't allowed to be watching TV that late. I remember being terrified to go back upstairs to bed but also terrified to stay hiding behind the door. And not because I was going to be caught. Rrrrrrr (now I have an audio virus of the sound the TV vacuum made and the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end) Heh. I could probably watch the very same episode now without a problem to get the hysterical fear out of my system. But I'm afraid.
So... have YOU backed up your files lately? And defragged too!?
Re: When the cell phone rings
Luckily I am unaffected by that because I was always too scared at just the thought of watching that show. Brrr.ejm wrote: Oh my goodness!! You're right! I still have problems whenever I vacuum ...
Re: When the cell phone rings
Luckily, I am unaffected because I don't vacuum. It makes me peevish.Barbara wrote:Luckily I am unaffected by that because I was always too scared at just the thought of watching that show. Brrr.ejm wrote: Oh my goodness!! You're right! I still have problems whenever I vacuum ...
edit: I should clarify. This doesn't mean the vacuuming isn't done; it just isn't done by ME. The vacuumer agrees that I should not be in attendance when vacuuming is being performed.
