After Steve and I (and the furbabies) moved to Tennessee, we changed our phone numbers to match the local 615 area code. It made us feel like official Nashvillians (not to be confused with Nash-villains). Unfortunately, ever since I got my new Nashville phone number 2 years ago I’ve been getting phone calls for a person named Amanda Phelps. Now these aren’t just any phone calls. They’re detectives and investigator calls. Apparently Miss Phelps has a little check fraud in her background, and, as luck would have it, she had my phone number before me.
Most of the time these phone calls are made by automated voices saying “This message is for.……long pause…..Amanda Phelps (insert computer generated voice).” And it basically asks her to call back regarding an investigation of complaints of fraud against her. Like that would ever happen, even if she still had this number. “Oh yah, let me go ahead and call back the people who are investigating my check fraud.” Riiiiiiiight.
Anyway, I usually just let any numbers that I don’t recognize go to voicemail, because chances are if I don’t recognize the number, it’s for Amanda. A couple times at the beginning, I would answer the calls and if it was miraculously a real live person I would tell them to please stop calling this number. I am not, nor have I ever been Amanda Phelps, and I do not know anyone named Amanda Phelps. Usually they say that they’ll make a note of it, and then the calls stop for a couple weeks. But after those few weeks the calls pick back up, and we go through this whole song and dance again. They have literally called over 5 times a day sometimes. It gets REALLY annoying. Especially when a live person leaves a voicemail for Amanda. I mean, really? My voicemail says “Hi, you’ve reached JOANNA….” NOT AMANDA…..JOANNA!!!!
So today, I was at work putting e-cig kits together (Steve and I own an electronic cigarette company) and I get a call from an unknown number. I silenced the ringer knowing it was another call for check fraud lady, but suddenly I had had enough. This has been going on for 2 years and it needs to stop! I don’t want to have to change my phone number, which is clearly what Miss Phelps did after the multiple harassing calls each day.
I answered the phone, and the voice on the other end said: “Hi, can I speak to Amanda?”
Me: “If you’re looking for someone named Amanda Phelps she is not at this number. I have had this number for two years and I keep getting calls for this person and each time I tell them that I am Joanna, not Amanda. Please STOP calling me!”
Investigator: “Well I called the other day and the voicemail greeting said Amanda.”
Me: “Umm, no it says Joanna.”
Investigator: “No, I listened to it yesterday and it clearly says Amanda.”
Me: “Look, it says Joanna. Wouldn’t I know what my own voicemail greeting says since I’m the one who set it up? My name is Joanna Pentland, NOT AMANDA!”
Investigator: “Well if this is Amanda, you have a warrant for your arrest regarding check fraud–“
Me: “Well, I’m Joanna so I don’t have a warrant and you can stop calling me.” —Click
He called back 2 seconds after I hung up but I let it go to voicemail. I’m sure he heard that it did indeed say “Joanna” because he didn’t leave a message.
On a happier note, there was a large box by our garage when we arrived home this evening. And guess what it was……..
Our patio furniture!!!!!! I still have to make 2 more curtains and curtain ties until it will be complete. But doesn’t it just look beautiful!!!!? I love it! Just in time for spring!
Oh my, it is just lovely!! Much better picture than my phone (which is so hard to see!). Your pillows and curtains really MAKE this room. It would be a great room in which to read your Bible and pray. I always feel especially close to God when I am sitting amid His beautiful creation. Enjoy your pretty patio, and happy reading!! Love you! 🙂
Oh, Joanna… I believe your blog is going to quickly become one of my new favorite sites to read–it’s absolutely adorable! I’m so glad you stumbled upon my blog so that I now know about your blog also!
Speaking of which, thank you so much for the precious comment you left me. I seriously love reading comments so much, and your kind words and sweet compliments mean so much to me. I spent this evening reading everyone’s lovely comments to my cowboy boyfriend while we chatted on the phone. (His new job is in a town roughly 3 hrs away from the college we met at. The college he just graduated from in Decemeber and which I won’t graduate from until one year from now…so we’re doing the distance thing for now =( Bear with me as I whine about this all the time, haha). Anyways, he and I are both always so flattered and amazed at how many wonderful people like yourself are out there–we love you sweet readers!
I need to head to bed tonight since Spring Break is now over and it’s back to class in the morning, but I’m going to be coming back very soon to read through the rest of your blog–I love it!
Thanks again, girl. Talk to you soon!
The Chic College Cowgirl
Your patio set looks great! So inviting and a perfect place to curl up with a book 🙂
When I first moved out of my parents house I always got hone calls for some guy named Rob who was apparently 1. not so good with the ladies, because they would call and literally scream in to the phone when I picked up and 2. not so good with paying the bills because I had collections agencies calling at least three times a day. I finally called my phone company and they dealt with it, rerouting calls who’s numbers I gave them as not people I want to talk to.
I hope they stop calling you! Two years is a long time to have to deal with this.