How Much Beef do you Want?

Went to the folks as usual this morning, did the requisite chores, and got a grocery list. OK. Off and running. Went to the post office, my bank, and then found, after a couple of stops, the required 13 to 15 pound Butterball turkey requested by my sister for Christmas supper. I then went to Fred Meyers to fulfill the rest of the elder's shopping needs.

Mom wanted to make meat balls tonight and 7% fat ground beef was on the list. OK. I got to the beef counter, located said ground beef, but didn't know how much she wanted. No problem. Whip out the ol' cell phone and give her a call... An elderly voice answered. The voice said "hello." I said "hello, how much beef do you want?"

The response was "Hello? Who is this?"

At that point I recognized that the elderly voice I was hearing was not the one I expected. I put on my reading glasses. Seems I had dialed "J.P. Holbrook" the next name in my cell directory after "Evelyn Lindstrom."

Oh. "Is this J.P.'s mom?"

"Yes it is."

"Well, this is Elmer Lindstrom, J.P.'s old friend calling from the meat counter at Fred Meyer's in Juneau. I called your number by mistake. But happy holidays."

"Oh.....OK...Merry Christmas to you too."

"Uhhh...OK...Merry Christmas. Bye. Bye."

"Bye."

I chuckled about this all day. But as the day wore on I also wondered what J.P.'s mom really thought about the conversation - did she have any idea who I was or was she now fretting about some weird conversation with a potential home invader? J.P. lives in Hornell, New York.

So...called J.P. late this afternoon. We had a WONDERFUL conversation (and mom DID know who I was). So... good holiday telecom karma.

Hah!