Customer calls telling me a demon has possessed her phone.

I use to work for a mobile phone company in a call center many years ago (2001). One day at work I get this call that I’ll never forget.

Me: Thank you for calling (company) my name is Sara, how can I help you?

In a really thick southern Alabama-like accent very loudly not screaming but nearly frantic customer says: A demon has possessed ma phone!

Me: I’m sorry ma’am can you repeat that.

Customer: A Demon Has Possessed Ma Phone!

At this company we were required to repeat back what the customer says to make sure we heard them correctly.

Me: A demon has possessed your phone?

Customer: Yes! A demon has possessed ma phone!

Now I’m rather baffled at this point because she doesn’t sound like she’s being funny but at the same time I’m trying not to laugh.

Me: alright ma’am, can you tell me why you think your phone is possessed by a demon?

Now my boss and several coworkers who are all in cubicles just feet away have heard me and are starting to lean towards my cubical to listen in.

Customer: It’s walking across the table!!

It took a second but I realise her phone is on silent, it’s vibrating, moving around because someone is calling her. While trying as hard as I can not to laugh I tell the customer;

Me: Ma’am the reason it’s walking across the table.

I pause because I am really trying to be respectful but to my coworkers it sounds like I paused for dramatic affect.

Me:. Is because your phone has a feature to vibrate if you turn the ringer or ring tone off. This silent mode then vibrates if someone is calling you.

My coworkers all laugh but fortunately I was able to mute the microphone fast enough so the customer wouldn’t get upset. Despite explaining to the customer that her phone wasn’t possessed by a demon and its animated antics were just a feature of the phone it still took another 30 minutes explaining this multiple times before she truly understood. I loved that call center because as weird as this call was it was just one of many weird calls that I and the coworkers on my team took in the few years I worked there.