Monday, July 09, 2007

Wrong Number for the New Millennium

Anyone getting wrong-number texts these days? I've gotten a fair amount. It's such an interesting phenomenon. Back when we used to actually call and speak to people, we were instantly informed of our mis-dialing.

"Sorry, wrong number."

With texting, however, the sender assumes the text was received by the right person unless you, the unintended recipient, lets the sender know.

You've gone from the immediate and effortless response, "Sorry, wrong number," to a series of choices:

1. Respond via text message.
2. Respond via phone call.
3. Ignore.

Last week, my ten-year-old daughter received a wrong-number text that said, "What? You want to suck my dick when?"

She showed it to Mom, who showed it to me, who was faced with the three choices.

I quickly eliminated #3. Couldn't let it go. So I opted for #2 and called the dude. Oh, I called him after I used the Internets to get his name. He was maybe 15 or 16. I scared the shit out of him, so that was fun.

The other day I got a wrong-number text that was full of entertainment. Here's what it said (written exactly as it appears on my phone):

"Chris hit a shot fir at bat to rite 7 0 us 4th Hes in rite"

Again, I ruled out #3. But this time, I opted for #1. Thought long and hard about it, then replied:

"Tell Chris 2 stop dragging dick Wish I was dere Score more 7 0 not enuf Drink Ovaltine"

I didn't get a response.

Man, I love modern technology

13 comments:

Webmiztris said...

omg, that's funny! I don't think I've gotten a 'wrong number' text yet! I feel so ripped off!

Anonymous said...

I used to get them once a week through some insipid chat service that the person who had my number before signed up for. It was a different person every time, and just a stupid meaningless message. After awhile I just complained to Sprint and they made it stop.

Granny Snark said...

I got one that said "This Chris, tel kid of yors too stop piking on me i'll tel my mom dont like ovaltine annyway."

No shit.

Cheezy said...

Haha! You da man! My very first text message sent from my current phone was to about 50 people telling them about my new number. Perhaps inevitably, I got one of the numbers wrong so one of my first responses said "I don't know who the fuck you are so why would I give a shit what your fucking number is, you twat?".

I've kept it, and still treasure it.

Paula said...

Funny stuff! My kids text 24/7 -- they're on the 10 billion a month plan now, I think. I've never texted and the only ones I've received have been ads. Boo hoo. ;)

Anonymous said...

How awesome that you included "Drink Ovaltine" in your response! Something tells me the recipient won't get the joke, not even if you'd added, "Tel Chris no red ryder bb gun cuz hel shooot his I out".

I've never sent or received a text message. If I have something to say, I do this really bizarre thing...I call. I KNOW, RIGHT? CRAY-ZEE!

Anonymous said...

Cheezy - You should have sent a reply that said "Sorry. That message was for your wife."

Jodie Kash said...

The post brings another topic to mind...I get the "for their safety" thing, but how young is too young to start on the paraphernalia? Who's calling a 10 year old?

Kos said...

"Who's calling a 10 year old?"

No one but us parents.

The kids just text each other.

Folly said...

A. I never get these; and
B. I just spit out my beer reading this.

Kos said...

Hope you didn't ruin your computer!

Sal said...

Last week, my ten-year-old daughter received a wrong-number text that said, "What? You want to suck my dick when?"

She showed it to Mom, who showed it to me, who was faced with the three choices.

I quickly eliminated #3. Couldn't let it go. So I opted for #2 and called the dude. Oh, I called him after I used the Internets to get his name. He was maybe 15 or 16. I scared the shit out of him, so that was fun.


YOU GO!, you. That is the best thing ever and the ten-year-old will remember it until she's at least fifty-five or so. (Maybe longer!)

Yay, you!

Don said...

I don't text either cuz I feel really stupid thumbing away at a cell phone with my old-person drugstore reading glasses on and the only people I know who do that anyway are my kids and they really don't need to see their dad tryin to be all hip n shit but THIS was FUNNY.