For whom the phone rings

My workplace is rather large, with many, many, MANY phone numbers, as is typical of any large health system.  Add on to that the number of fax numbers we also have and I can't even begin to imagine how many numbers that might sum up to.

Over the last two years however my coworkers and I have found few things more amusing than the abuse my particular direct extension takes.  I was reminded by one of my friends in my former department that I was given the option of changing extensions when I switched departments and I'm beginning to wonder if that would have been the wise choice.  However if I had, I would not be able to delight you with these random musings here on the blog.  And I'm sure after reading this you'll be quite glad that I didn't.

Let's start with the fact that my number must be very close to a frequently used fax machine extension.  Periodically my phone will ring and the caller ID will flash a few numbers and the word FAX.  When I see this delightful little notice on the screen I know that the next 15-20 minutes will go something like this:

Ring Ring!
*picks up*
SCREEE....SCREEE...beep...beep....beep
*hangs up*

....5 minutes later....


Ring Ring!
*picks up*
SCREEE....SCREEE...beep...beep....beep
*hangs up*

....5 minutes later....


Ring Ring!
*picks up*
...not even waiting for the SCREE this time (and therefore probably seeming quite rude to my new coworkers who can hear me hanging up each time)
*hangs up*

....5 minutes later....

Ring Ring!
*picks up*
*slams receiver down in annoyance*

And so on and so forth because you know that little fax machine has to attempt to send at least 3-5 times.  Lovely.

Now that is manageable, don't get me wrong, people type in numbers wrong, no harm done, they'll see it has failed and (most of the time) correct the number and move on.

But what really amuses me (and I'll admit, sometimes concerns me) is the fact that my extension also happens to be one digit different than our Emergency Department's direct extension that they sometimes give to people asking them to return calls, etc. So it happens on occasion that I will walk into work early in the morning and see my voicemail light blinking only to retrieve my messages and hear something that goes like this  (disclaimer: all voicemails have been fictionalized):

11:52pm
"Hello I'm looking for my sister, I was told she was brought in and I need to know where to come pick her up."

2:32am
"I was there earlier this evening and was asked to call back if anything changes with my [insert specified wound/injury here]. There seems to be some oozing."

Not even kidding.

Don't misunderstand, I realize people dial wrong numbers, it happens and perhaps in all of the times I've received voicemails like this, the person is in some sort of distress, is exhausted or overwhelmed.  However, I find it somewhat odd that so many people continue to leave a voicemail after my outgoing greeting declares "Hi, you've reached Amy Myers, Market Analyst at such and such....blah blah blah"

Call me crazy but I don't think in the event of an emergency we're going to ask you to call our Market Analyst right away so it stands to reason you might have the wrong number at that point.

But alas, I'm left to often wonder for whom the phone rings....

Taking a cue from my friend Kensy over at The Scoop from the Coop I'm going to try and end each post with my favorite things from the day.  Or for my Dinner Club friends who might be reading my "Happies."

Today's Happies

Dinner with my beautiful cousin and Baby Fountain
Blogging on the deck and listening to the bells at St. Peter's
Talking with my VP about new and exciting work projects!
My awesome new bronze shell wind chime from Pier 1 for my porch.