The Oddest Telephone Call Ever

odd telephone call
@MALUSE (69428)
Germany
April 18, 2019 2:43pm CST
I haven’t completely recovered yet from the oddest telephone call ever. My husband’s brother-in-law, the husband of his eldest sister, called from Sardinia, the Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea where my husband’s family lives, to tell me that his wife had died. She had been ill for several years. The poor woman needed kidney dialysis four times a day! The funeral was today and he had just come back from the cemetery. He was surprised that I didn’t know that. I said how could I know what happened in Sardinia if nobody informed me. I asked if the two sisters of the diseased one who also live on Sardinia had been to the funeral and learnt that they hadn’t. What a shame! There is a family feud going on, a completely silly and superfluous one, as is the case in so many families. We talked about this for some time and then he came back to what I had said, namely, that I didn’t know about his wife’s death as - and now we’re coming to the point - he had already called me this morning and talked to me for about an hour! He had not!!! Of course, I would remember such news. This is one point in my favour. The second point is: why would he call me again after only some hours and tell me the same news in all detail again? The only explanation I have is that he had ‘looked too deep into the glass’ as the Germans say if someone drinks too much alcohol. He used to have a coffee bar in which he also served the red wine he makes himself from the grapes of his vineyard. There is no arguing that it is the best red wine imaginable! The man is 94 years old but still healthy and sane of mind (the people on Sardinia and on one Greek island are the longest living Europeans). I find it understandable and pardonable that he looks for comfort in this way, but what I don’t like is that he tried to put me in the wrong as if I was completely gaga, that I had forgotten our conversation from this morning. When we had rehashed the same topic several times, I opened the door of our flat/apartment and rang the bell - a trick I had thought of some years ago. I told him that - pity, pity - I had to end our conversation because the people from downstairs had just rung. When I was putting the phone back, he was still babbling. Poor man. But even losing his wife doesn’t give him the right to point the finger at me and let me appear as if I’d lost it and couldn’t remember a call from the same day.
21 people like this
17 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
18 Apr 19
Maybe he called a wrong number and the person played the game ? My brother does that each time somebody calls him by mistake. I heard him once taking a caterer's menu ; he ended with "Be sure that we will be there on time next Sunday for your marriage." I wonder if the guy killed the caterer.
4 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
18 Apr 19
I have a German accent when I talk Italian. He will never take me for anyone else or anyone else for me.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (153180)
• United States
18 Apr 19
It's too bad about the confusion about the call.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
18 Apr 19
Yes, especially as the situation is a sad one.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12536)
• Ireland
18 Apr 19
@MALUSE And now he has probably told the whole family about that German sister-in-law who has lost her memory or who has a drink problem.
2 people like this
@mayka123 (16555)
• India
20 Apr 19
May be because of his old age he does not remember everything.
@mayka123 (16555)
• India
21 Apr 19
@MALUSE Then blame the drinks. The drinks told him that he had called you earlier.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
20 Apr 19
Oh, no, he is still very sharp of mind. That's what puzzles me.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
21 Apr 19
@mayka123 This is indeed the only reasonable explanation.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
23 Apr 19
How bizarre of him to call you like that. I know you are as sharp as ever and have no doubt in my mind that it was his mistake. Bereavement can make you do such odd things. Perhaps he just wanted to hear a familiar voice. I like your style by the way. I too have done that when I have had someone on the phone.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
23 Apr 19
Nice to hear from you! For the first time in my life I'm considering going on a cruise. It would be only next year but I would have to book it now. I know that you love cruises. Have you ever written a post on the reasons why you do? If so, please send me the link. If you haven't why not write a post on the topic?
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
23 Apr 19
@MALUSE Hi yes you guessed right I have just come back from another cruise. It was such a bargain I could not resist it. I shall write a post and you will see one of the reasons why I love it so much.
@ShifaLk (17817)
• India
24 Apr 19
Yeah.. Obviously he must be in pain so he couldn't inform you earlier but someone else should have informed all the relatives and dear ones. Well I liked the Door Bell trick alot
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
24 Apr 19
I can recommend the door bell trick. As I've learnt now, other people use it, too. :-)
1 person likes this
@ShifaLk (17817)
• India
24 Apr 19
@MALUSE haha wow. I'll definitely try too
• United States
21 Apr 19
I'm sorry for what you had to go through with your Husband's BIL. It's taxing to say the least. As it is said when some people reach the advanced age and then have the stress of losing their spouse had passed the trauma level puts their mind in Oz to say the least. It's very likely that the man called a wrong number and spent time telling everything to the person who answered the phone. It could be that the person hung up the phone and the man kept talking, or he accidentally called the automatic number to receive the correct time. I would be concerned as the man definitely needs a caretaker at his age. I wouldn't trust him around hot surfaces and gas stoves or fire places. I'm not anywhere near the age of your husband's BIL, but after the shock of finding my house on fire, I lost quite a period of time and I don't remember a LOT of things that went on during that time. It came from the shock and stress from the loss. I didn't (as far as I know) call anyone during that period of time. I did have a great support group and am doing much better, but still hold much anger at PG&E the company that is responsible for burning down my home. I hope that one day that anger will dissolve and I can see honest joy and happiness in life. I hope that your Husband's BIL will settle down some and that he does have someone there to take care of him as he truly needs it.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
22 Apr 19
Thank you very much for your concern. I do hope that you will soon see light at the end of the tunnel.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
19 Apr 19
It sounds as if he is very confused or just dreamed he called you. I have a sister who is not that old who either repeats herself a lot, or on the other hand, thinks she has told us something she has not. It is annoying.
@kareng (53375)
• United States
19 Apr 19
It's possible also that his mind is not as clear as it once was. At 94 this would be my first thought. Of course, hitting the old bottle wouldn't help either and may be the case since he is known for that. Hope your day improves!
@kareng (53375)
• United States
20 Apr 19
@MALUSE That a girl! :)
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
19 Apr 19
Thank you for your concern. The geographical distance between us is big. He can't spoil my day! :-)
1 person likes this
@valmnz (17100)
• New Zealand
18 Apr 19
I think your way of ending that confused conversation was gentle and tactful.
@valmnz (17100)
• New Zealand
18 Apr 19
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
18 Apr 19
Thank you.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
21 Apr 19
Yes, he'd probably looked too deep into the glass, and that combined with the loss of his wife obviously confused him. I think you can forgive him in those circumstances?
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
21 Apr 19
@MALUSE Fair enough.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
21 Apr 19
I can, but I can't change my general opinion about him that he is a bad man who likes to manipulate people.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26163)
• Singapore
19 Apr 19
Some people have the habit of making others feel guilty but at 94 years of age he should be excused - siva
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
19 Apr 19
No, this 94-year-old man cannot be excused. I know him well. His mind is still sharp and he is a man who loves trouble. He has lied and cheated.
1 person likes this
18 Apr 19
Perhaps he thought you were the event's caterer..
18 Apr 19
@MALUSE Oh I see.. That seems neat..
@LowRiderX (22912)
• Serbia
18 Apr 19
He's 94 years old enough to solve this mystery. I'm not surprised that people who live on the islands live longer. These are literally states for themselves, pretty much separated from everything. Life is much more relaxed, that's true.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
18 Apr 19
The people who are now so very old lived very poorly when they were young. Sardinia was a poor island. They could be happy if they had enough to eat. They ate healthy things then, there was no 'industrial' food. All this was good for them although they didn't think so at the time, of course. The younger generation won't probably become so old. But it's also a genetic thing. Researchers are still trying to find out why the population on Sardinia becomes much older than the population on other islands.
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22912)
• Serbia
18 Apr 19
@MALUSE The islands are generally poor. Aside from the fact that in the last couple of years, they involved a bit more serious about tourism. I was surprised when I heard that a 43 year old woman left the island (Corfu) once and went to Athens (at the doctor) never before or after that. I heard a similar story about a family from Thassos, it's a young family. They are somewhat disinterested and quite isolated
@jnrdutton (2477)
• United States
21 Apr 19
Shame for his loss, in high stress/grief situations, even the most sane among us can get confused, and drunkenness never helps such matters. I can understand why you were offended by him pointing the finger @ you as if you were losing it.
@much2say (53664)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Apr 19
How very odd! He may have talked to "someone" that morning - either he thought that was you at the time or he thought later that he had talked to you earlier - but in any case he didn't talk to you (we know you, MALUSE, we know you would remember!). The doorbell trick is a good one . . . probably best to just end the conversation abruptly, what can you do - just as well as he probably wouldn't even remember this particular conversation anyway.
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
18 Apr 19
The poor man must have been either drinking or too upset to remember having spoken to you. I've used that doorbell trick after midnight to get a friend off the phone. Imagine having the doorbell ring at that time? Ha ha! I had to hang up while she was still talking about nothing. What a relief.
@Junbals (1421)
• Philippines
18 Apr 19
It happens to everyone. My condolence.