My phone rang. In what seemed like an older female voice, the caller asked me who I was.
“This is Scott. Who is this?”
“This is Edna.”
“Hi, Edna.” (I paused here waiting for her to say something. She didn’t so I went on). “Did you call a wrong number because I don’t know anybody named Edna, though I am certain by the sound of your voice you are a very nice person? I have always held the opinion that people named Edna are amongst the nicest people anybody would want to know and your voice confirms my hypothesis.”
I started to ask if there was anything that I could help her with but she did not give me the time.
“Yes, I did call a wrong number. I’m sorry to have bothered you. Have a nice day.”
“You have a nice day too, Edna.”
With that, Edna was gone. I do not have caller ID on my phone so, for all practical purposes, I will never hear from Edna again. It’s a sad thing, too, as she is the only Edna that I have ever talked to. What will become of her? Was she looking for a long lost relative? Perhaps, she is a messenger of sad news for somebody other than a Scott. I hope she found whoever it was she was looking for and I hope she is the bearer of good news. Given the fact that she has not repeated her incorrect dial, I can only assume she found who (or what) she was looking for. I will never know for sure unless Edna takes a mind to call me back and lets me know all is well. Somehow, I think not.
I told my wife about Edna. She observed that there was an Edna in her old neighborhood in Seattle. I did not think that the Seattle Edna would make a mis-dial and wind up calling Indiana unless, of course, she was looking for my wife. My bride said that the Seattle Edna she knew was from over thirty-five years ago and she has, without doubt, gone on to her reward. No, we both agreed, this was a call from the Indiana Edna. I have no idea how to look up all the people in Indiana who are named Edna but there can’t be more than a dozen or so. It is probably not a project that I would undertake though I would very much like to know how Edna is doing.
So, Edna, if you are out there and read this, let me know how you are doing.