At 05:37 AM 4/7/02, Jeroen wrote: >At 23:30 5-4-02 -0600, Julia Thompson wrote: > >> > And after years of the above at home (after which the phone company redrew >> > their districts and changed our number), I got my commission and became an >> > engineer working on flight test in the Air Force. I had several phone >> > lines that went through the secretary, and one which went directly to my >> > desk: extension 3303. The appointment desk at the base hospital had >> > extension 3033 . . . >> >>You win. :) >> >>Unless someone else wants to try to top that. I certainly can't. > >Maybe I can. How about getting a phone number that used to belonge to >someone else? > >When I moved to Eindhoven and applied for a phone line, I was given a >telephone number that used to be the phone number of a computer store >(that computer store still exists, BTW). At first, I would be called at >least three or four times per week by people who wanted prices quotes, >have their computer repaired, etcetera. The number of calls gradually >decreased over time, but it took almost two years before they stopped >altogether. > >Usually when someone changes his phone number, the old number is not >re-issued for one or two years. So either KPN Telecom screwed up bigtime, >or those callers still had the old phone number somewhere on file (as the >store was listed with the correct number in the phonebook). > >Anyone want to top *that*?
There is another "Ronald W. Blankenship" who I have never met and who I am not related to, even though according to what I have learned he lives about 20 miles from my home. To be as charitable as possible, he appears to be even less careful about finances than yours truly. Over the past several years I have received numerous calls from such entities as the loan departments of local banks and the local police department's bad check unit looking for him. Once I even received a letter from the latter informing me that if I didn't come to the police department, surrender myself, and post bail, a warrant would be issued for my arrest on bad check charges. (I didn't even have a local checking account at the time, having recently moved back here after living out of the area for awhile.) And, unless there is a _third_ "Ronald W. Blankenship" in the vicinity, I presume it is the same one who was the subject of news reports a few years back about a "RWB" and his wife who were wanted by the FBI for insurance fraud for faking his own death and trying to get the insurance money. FWIW, the number of calls from banks and the police did drop off for awhile after the news reported that that couple had been arrested . . . Fortunately, my birth date, Social Security number, mother's maiden name, etc., are all different from his, so I have been able to prove to the satisfaction of all the callers that I am NOT him. OTOH, one time when I took one of my cats to the vet, I learned that he�or another RWB who lives in the same area the one I am talking about is supposed to�takes his dogs to the same vet . . . though, as I said earlier, so far I have never met him there or anywhere else . . . BTW, "Blankenship" is not an uncommon name in these parts. Until a few years ago, an "Eddie Blankenship" was president of the local city council. No relation. In fact, we are of different races. And then there's the Realtor who had the same name as my father, which is why my father used his initials rather than his full first name for business purposes. Then there's my stepmother Ruby, who lives across the street from me. Need I bring up how often two people named "R. Blankenship" who live on the same street get each other's mail and phone calls? Next? -- Ronn! :) God bless America, Land that I love! Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans, white with foam� God bless America! My home, sweet home. -- Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
