Talking to Strangers

Tonight I posted my phone number* to three hundred twitter users and asked them to get in touch with me over the period of an hour.  My number was then reposted to thousands of other people.  I was overwhelmed.  I ended up having 5 conversations, getting 4 voice mails, receiving text messages from 43 people and getting 82 calls (most of these missed as I spent over an hour talking).

I’d been quite nervous before doing it – I even brushed my teeth in preparation, in hindsight that was a bit of an odd thing to do.  I posted my number at 7pm and didn’t hear anything for a few minutes.  I got worried and then got very embarrassed.  I’d made a fuss about what I was doing so getting no response was a little humiliating.  After about ten minutes the phone calls started…

First I spoke to (going to have to use twitter usernames here) MmeGuillotine. We talked about her job – she answers questions for 63336.  We also talked about Aberdeen and accents.  She asked who would play me in a film (she said that a geeky Julianne Moore would play her) but I refused to answer.
Then I talked to James Ward. He was on his way to meet his friend who may or may not be a cannibalistic lawyer.  He was very nice.  He told me that he only got out of bed at 2pm, I was jealous.  I worried about him because he was in an alleyway but he soon made his way to a pub.
I then got a call from thehittvshow. I disappointed him by telling him that I don’t like football.  I told him that my friend supports Fulham FC and that seemed to upset him even more.  He had a voice that I could imagine in a Guy Ritchie movie.  I liked that.
I got a quick call from bubblyjack. He said he liked the messages I’ve been leaving in public for strangers and that he was going to make some too.  Good.
Finally I spoke to bigmouthedwoman. She had taken time away from crocheting a technicolour blanket to speak to me.  We talked about her job teaching English as a foreign language; the difficulties of having a relationship with an Italian and the novels of Julian Barnes.  She had a very soft voice and she giggled a lot.

So all in all I think that was a success.  Thanks to anyone who phoned, texted, tweeted or followed me tonight and I’m sorry if I missed any of your calls.  I’m looking forward to doing this again.

A recording of the voicemails I received.

(*I used a PAYG sim card, it was not my actual phone number.)