“I changed my identity!”

Not sure if this belongs here, just a weird little story I remembered after finding this subreddit. I think it does though.

Last November I volunteered at the campaign office for the incumbent mayor (it was our city election year). I was entirely new to doing things such as phone banking and canvassing, and I was an awkward 14 year old high school freshman that panics every time I have to talk to strangers. On my first day of making phone calls, I had a strange conversation with a person who was listed by the name of “Louis”, and that is what this story is about.

So here I am in a cold, barren room that was the size of a closet in the back of the campaign office.

Me: Dials number and picks up phone

Click on the other end

Me: Hello, is Louis available?

(A woman with a thick accent speaks)

Lady: Yes.

Me: Hi Louis. This is (My name) and I’m a volunteer at the (Mayor’s name) Campaign. (Insert required speech about the campaign and why voting is important).

Lady: Oh I am sorry this is not the right number.

Me: Oh I’m sorry-

Lady: I HAVE HAD THIS NUMBER FOR 8 YEARS! HOW COULD HAVE THE WRONG ONE? THERE IS NO LOUIS HERE!

Me: …

Lady: You not understand? I changed my identity.

Me: …Oh I’m very sorry. Have a nice day!

I hang up

I had other weird encounters while I was there too. Another notable one is when I was calling a lady named Kristen, and an elderly lady picks up. I ask her if Kristen is available, and she loudly declared “THERE IS NO KRISTEN HERE!”. I also had a middle aged guy scream at me and ask how I got his wife’s phone number. So yeah, I have come to realize how painful telemarketing and phone banking is after wasting hours away in that cold closet where some of my most bizarre and frightening encounters occurred.