Remember prank phone calls?

Prank call
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A prank call, also known as a crank call, is a form of practical joke committed over the telephone. Prank phone calls began to gain an America-wide following over a period of many years, as they gradually became a staple of the obscure and amusing cassette tapes traded amongst musicians, sound engineers, and media traders beginning in the late 1970s. Among the most famous and earliest recorded prank calls are the Tube Bar prank calls tapes which centered around Louis "Red" Deutsch. Comedian Jerry Lewis was an incorrigible phone prankster, and recordings of his hijinks, dating from the 1960s and possibly earlier, still circulate throughout the country to this day.

Even very prominent people have fallen victim to prank callers, as for example Queen Elizabeth II, who was fooled by Canadian DJ Pierre Brassard posing as Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, asking her to record a speech in support of Canadian unity ahead of the 1995 Quebec referendum.

Come on.. you know you've done it too. Went over to a friend's house, watched movies all night, ate popcorn, and prank called random innocent people listed in the phone book.

At ten years old, the height of humor for us was the old "Is your refrigerator running?" "Then you'd better go catch it!" and let's not forget the standby, Prince Albert in a can.

Now, 30 years later.. we suddenly realized that the internet has a virtually unlimited number of people to torment!

M_ and I were idly chatting as she searched craigslist for some straw to put on her garden as mulch. She got up to run outside and apply bug spray to one of the kids and I snatched the laptop for few illicit moments. Yes, I admit I'm addicted to craigslist. Fourth down on the list was this eye catcher:

Possium Cowboy Hat - $20 Hand Crafted Possium Straw Cowboy Hat. Size 6 7/8 $20.00 Contact Cliff 555-XXXX

For some unknown reason this gave me the hearty giggles and suddenly, the little devil on my shoulder poked me with the evil wand. M_ came back in the room, I showed it to her and she exclaimed with disgust "OMG! That is absolutely DISGUSTING!" Fascinated, we peered at the pictures and conjectured about the seller.

Me: Hee. Hee. Let's email him back! (snort, giggle, chuckle).

She: (incredulous look) Girl you are EVIL! (giggle)

Me: Do it!

She: Okay (har, har, har, evil little laughs).

So we took a bit of time to compose a polite, respectful response to Cliff Redneck's sincere advertisement for roadkill headwear.

She (email) : "Dear sir, I have a few question's regarding your possum hat?
Was this a male or female marsupial?

What kind of Vehical was it that ran it over, I want to have a hat like this but I prefer to have one that has a dodge tire tread smashed into it?

And can you tell me, was this possum from Michigan, and did he or she has a significate other because I would like a him and her matching hat set.

Thank youHope to hear from you Edna and John Walton "

As she hit send, we were just rolling off the bed laughing. I mean really cackling. But Wait - it got better!

Back to craigslist and the next add to appear was this:

Black Squirrel & Fox Squirrel Hats - $2025 Hand crafted Black Squirrel straw cowboy hat. $25.00 Hand crafted Fox Squirrel straw cowboy hat Both one size fits all. Contact Cliff 555-XXXX

Me: Okay now *I'll* email him from my addy and he won't think he's being messed with (RIGHT). Snort, giggle, chuckle.

She: Oh girl are you bad!

Me (email): "These look awesome but do you have any gray squirrels because I was once bitten by a red squirrel and the black ones are mean. Thank you, Bea"

(I was going to use Aint Bea (remember Andy Griffith?) but figured that just might be a little over the top... as if)

We are anxiously awaiting Cliff's reply.

Here we are, two mothers in our 40's, trying to raise our children to be respectful human beings.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA