Ole Darryl still lives

Darryl Waliker (I'm guessing at the spelling on both names) is the person who had my cell phone number before I had it. You can read about him HERE and then HERE.

I've had my cell phone for almost a year and a half now, and I hadn't gotten any calls for ole Darryl lately. Until tonight.

My cell rang; I looked to see who was calling, and no name was there. Only a phone number. Obviously a stranger.

I answered, and a pleasant-sounding lady asked, "Is Darryl Walliker there?"

"No," I patiently told her. "He hasn't had this number for well over a year."

"Then do you have a number where he might be reached?"

"No, I'm sorry," I told her. "I don't know him; he just happens to be the person that had this number before I got it."

And I proceeded to tell her about the strange calls I've received for Darryl over the past months, from giggling ladies at 3 A.M. to the Cass County sheriff 's department late one evening.

She chuckled and said, "Well, I'm just another person trying to collect the money he owes me."

We said our goodbyes, and that was that. Except that I tried snooping a bit. I went HERE and typed in various spellings of Darryl's first and last names. No luck. I can find plenty of my neighbors at that website (most for traffic tickets), but no Darryl.

The truth is, I'd like to meet him and shake his hand.

I'd say, "Thanks, Darryl. If it weren't for you, my cell phone would never ring. You have truly brought excitement into this old lady's life."

Just when you think it's over...

First of all, you'll need to go to THIS ENTRY I did way last January, so you'll know who "ole Darryl" is. Basically, he's the former owner of my cell phone number. And obviously, he was quite popular.

I've never been one to enjoy talking on a phone; I got the cell phone because Cliff worried about me riding my horse out in the boonies with nobody around, and he just figured he'd feel better if he had a way to keep in touch.

In spite of the fact I don't enjoy telephone talking, that stupid thing rang constantly when I first got it. I'd hear things like this: "Is Darryl there?" "Could I speak to Darryl 'the licker'?" "Let me talk to Darryl Walliker."

This went on several times a day forever. At least 3/4 of the callers sounded young, giggly, and female.

It's been a year, and I hadn't had a call for Darryl in a couple of months until this week. Now it's started again.

Tonight my cell phone rang, I answered, and a man said, "Could I talk to Darryl?"

"Darryl hasn't had this number in a year; I don't know him, but I wish you'd quit calling this number."

"Well now, how would I know not to call this number?"

"You call yourself a friend?" I asked. "It's been a year, and you're just now trying to get in touch with Darryl?"

Beam me up, Scotty.