The Old Man Next door is on the phone forever...

Philippines
August 16, 2012 10:33pm CST
I wonder if he really is talking to another human being on the other line. I can't help but overhear his supposed phone conversation with a relative. Since yesterday, he would sit on his front porch and dial somebody, and talk on the phone for hours in a really audible voice. I could hear him from the room upstairs, and there's a 2-lane road separating our block from his. His conversation seems to be the same for every other person he talks to. And, it would last for hours. From what I heard, it seems like he hasn't met these people, and is introducing himself as a relative and how they are related. He mentions names and places, and its the same storyline for every person he talks to. So I was really wondering if he may just be acting like he's talking on the phone. Perhaps, he's already senile. I don't really know, because I don't mingle with our neighbors, nor, do I want to know about their lives. I just can't help but hear his loud voice.
3 people like this
11 responses
• United States
17 Aug 12
well there are a fe ways you can look at it....he realy could be reuniting with old family he hasnt spoken to in a while....he cold be senile...or e could have amnesia to where he tells everyone the same thing and they are on the phone listening to him as e speaks. i doknow people that would say it over and over again ever tme we tlked ut i never interupted or said "hey you said that already". but i can agree ith another mylotter to maybe he is just lonely and pretendig to talk on the phone makes hm feel important or loved..
• United States
17 Aug 12
he does seem like a very sweet guy. i also hope that he is able to meet up with the people he wants to so badly. that is the same way i feel. if my grandm or ne 1 n my close family wanted to do that i would go with them or send them on their way if i was finacially able. i think it is sad when i see the older people kind of being forgotten about. i see it way to often and that isnt fair to them at all.
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I think he's a sweet guy who misses talking to his relatives. I hope his family could really take him to those people he wants to see. He seems to want to meet them. If I have enough extra money, and my grandmother wants to go to her family in another province, I would send her off, and even accompany her if I have the time, too.
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Especially those aged people who don't have pension. Their family members won't care for them as much, and would think of them as additional burden. They should look back to the times when their parents or grandparents took care of them and provided for them. I sure will take responsibility of my mother, when she'll get that old and can no longer take care of herself. I promised her that when I was younger, and I still want to keep the promise.
@fantabulus (4000)
• India
22 Aug 12
Now the person is interested to talk on phone rather than meet face to face. I think their mobile sim will be free of charge like uninor talk full month only in 150.
• Philippines
28 Aug 12
Yeah, probably he's got some special phone package that allows him to call as much in a given period of time.
@hsofyan (3446)
• Jakarta, Indonesia
19 Aug 12
Certainly very disturbing. You do not try to reprimand him?
• Philippines
20 Aug 12
No, not at all. I think it's not necessary. He doesn't do it everyday, anyway. I'll just let him be, if that's what makes him happy.
@toyota4k (1208)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
There are people who think that having to call a lot too many and having a lot calls to receive is a status symbol. Maybe that person wants to impress you and wants you to think that he is a busy person and spends much just for "important call" and if he is on the phone for hours in the porch, he sure has a powerful cell phone battery.
• Philippines
20 Aug 12
We are also wondering the same. Maybe he's got the charger plugged in while he's using it, or something. I'm not sure.
@tetris15 (539)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I think the old man just want to have someone to talk to that's why he keeps on telling the same stories to different person he talks to on the phone. It's like the story is already programmed for him to tell and he doesn't mind if it's the same story as the one he already told to someone just awhile ago. I guess old people just wants to talk and talk and tell stories about their past. It's their way of reliving the present because they sometimes are stuck in the past.
• Philippines
20 Aug 12
I do notice that in most old people. They always talk about their past, and talk about people that their listener don't even know. My grandmother always has a comment on any topic, and would relate it to her past experience and often mentions names we don't even recognize. But, we just let her be.
• United States
17 Aug 12
Perhaps he's losing it, but he may really like to talk. I know a couple months ago I use to talk on the phone with the same friends for hours on end, the longest being eight hours I think. I'm not sure though, perhaps if you don't want to say anything to him about his loudness you can fight fire with fire and be loud yourself, but I doubt it'd have any good results.
• Philippines
20 Aug 12
Well, I'm not really angry or complaining about it. In fact, I find it funny sometimes. He was better than having to bear with our ex-neighbor who plays very loud music.
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
That is weird that you can see him do the same day in and day out. I am thinking that he was formerly working with phones during his younger years that is why now that he is old he still clutches to it and makes it his comfort zone that is why he likes to talk on phone.
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I can see him, yes, because he stays outside their house, and they have no fence. But i don't really look at him all the time. I would just know he's outside, because of his loud voice. You have a funny idea of his past..haha Maybe he misses his relatives a lot, and that's why he's pretending to be on the phone with them.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Aug 12
When you say you can hear him introducing himself as a relative,maybe He's trying to reconnect with family He'd lost touch with,and only recently got some leads to check out..It does seem a bit odd that He's doing it loud enough that you, across a 2 lane road, can seem to follow the conversation..And how many people is it possible to check in with in the space of a couple of days?
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
And, he would tell the other person how he got their number, and then ask for contact number of another relative. I don't know if its a real conversation, though. Oh well, if that's what he enjoys doing, then I couldn't really care less, but I just can't help but overhear his loud monologue and can't help but comment about it.
• India
17 Aug 12
Hi friend, may be he is a crazy person and interested in spending his time in this way, some persons are interested in getting other persons attention and do various things for it. May be your neighbor is in this sort and doing such kind of activities to get the other persons attention
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
I don't think he's crazy. I see him talk to other neighbors at times, because he is always sitting at their front porch. He may be senile, though.
@riyauro (6421)
• India
17 Aug 12
lol. I think man is just trying to do some acting. From what you have said in the discussion, I can conclude that is trying to just imagine talking to someone or maybe he is practicing to say all those to some. Must be a crazy one hahha. Good you don't mix that much with your neighbor, God knows what type of people are around. Have a wonderful day ahead.
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
It's really weird, but I kind of expect it from someone as old as him. He could be senile or something. But, as long as he's not doing anything bad to us, Im good with that. The noise could be annoying though, but bearable than the other neighbor who plays very loud music.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
17 Aug 12
Hmmm, maybe he did have someone on the other end of the line but halfway through his monologue the other person has hung up yet he still continues to talk over and over again because he wants to feel important. Or maybe the feeling that he's on the phone always gives him the feeling of being important or something.
• Philippines
17 Aug 12
Exactly, what I'm also thinking. I mean, I can't imagine anyone who can endure a long conversation about their genealogy, unless the other person is also old. I think most old people enjoy talking about their family tree.