When Is A Message Not?

When it’s a sequence of numbers left on our telephone answering machine. The sequence definitely sounded like a mobile ‘phone number but, the voice uttering this sequence didn’t sound at all familiar to either my beloved or myself.

The outgoing message on the machine specifically states, “if you would like to leave a message, please speak after the tone”. We do not request a random sequence of numbers, nor do we make any promise to get back to the caller but, it seems common-sense to us that a message should communicate something. We do not have a caller's name, no hint of what they wanted to speak about nor, did they say whether the sequence of numbers was some sort of a code, a telephone number to be avoided at all costs, a new theory of everything, or a number which they wished us to call.

We are always reluctant to call mobile ‘phone numbers, because of the expense involved; the same goes for any premium or ‘special’ rate numbers, so we trust that Mr Anonymous will not be too disappointed if he was expecting a call back!

When is a message not a message? When it fails to communicate anything!