Transcript of a Conversation I Had with Someone Who Called Me After I Posted my Phone Number on the Site

by Justin Anderson

As some of the more astute Somethingspace readers may have noticed, my actual phone number was posted in the "Thing Of The Week" section of the website several weeks ago. It was done partially to see if anyone who reads the site that I'm not already on speaking terms with would actually bother to call. And much to my surprise, someone actually did.

So now, in the interests of taking the Somethingspace brand of exceedingly self-referential humor to the next plateau, I present a rough transcript of that most surreal of conversations. (Note: I didn't actually record the call, so some details have been changed to protect the innocent and cover for my substance abuse-addled memory. But aside from that, this is 100% true.)

[JUSTIN's phone rings]

JUSTIN: Hello?

CALLER: . . .

JUSTIN: Hello?

CALLER: . . .

JUSTIN: Uh . . . hello? Is anyone there?

CALLER: Is . . . is this Justin?

JUSTIN: Yes it is.

CALLER: . . .

JUSTIN: Hello?

CALLER: . . . Justin?

JUSTIN: Yes, this is Justin. Can I help you with something?

CALLER: Uh . . . can I speak with Justin?

JUSTIN: You've got him.

CALLER: . . .

JUSTIN: What can I do for you?

CALLER: Uh . . . we got your number from the computer.

JUSTIN: Uh, okay. "We?"

CALLER: My sister and me.

JUSTIN: Um, okay. Is there something I can do for you?

CALLER: No, we just thought we'd call.

JUSTIN: Okay. Well, um, have a nice day, I guess.

CALLER: . . . Okay. Bye.

[CALLER hangs up.]

[Five minutes pass. Phone rings again.]

JUSTIN: Hello?

CALLER: . . .

JUSTIN: Hello?

CALLER: Hi, can I speak to Justin?

JUSTIN: You're speaking to him.

CALLER: Um . . . this is Justin?

JUSTIN: Yep.

CALLER: I think I just called just now.

JUSTIN: I think so. You said you got my number from the computer? You mean the website?

CALLER: Yeah.

JUSTIN: Um, may I ask where you're calling from?

CALLER: 2419 Granville Street.

JUSTIN: Uh, I mean, what city?

CALLER: White Springs.

JUSTIN: . . . And that's in what state?

CALLER: Mississippi.

JUSTIN: Oh, okay. Wow. Um. Well, thanks for reading the site.

CALLER: Is this Justin Timberlake? From the band *NSYNC?

JUSTIN: Uh, no. Sorry. This is Justin from the website.

CALLER: Sorry?

JUSTIN: This is the Justin who works for Somethingspace.

CALLER: Oh. Okay.

JUSTIN: Sorry.

CALLER: That's okay. We just saw that it said "Justin's Phone Number Of The Week," so we thought maybe it was Justin Timberlake's number.

JUSTIN: Yeah, sorry, I don't know him.

CALLER: Okay. Well, bye.

JUSTIN: Thanks for reading.

[JUSTIN hangs up]