Mario's phone

This my be the strangest event in my life. It could have been easily forgotten. Fortunately I wrote it down. Here it is, simple and direct, as best I recall.

Friend Mario, M and I were standing on the dock on the coast of Sapri, Italy at the boat docks south of town. The three of us were talking when Mario received a phone call, He looked at the name or number and decided he had to respond. He said it would be quick. Mario answered the call on his cell phone. After the call lasted a half minute M and I turned toward the bay and did nothing in particular to fill time. We'd talk with Mario when he finished the call. There was some problem with his phone, I remember hearing this from his conversation. Then his phone quit functioning and he yelled, "Damn phone...it went dead."

After a moment of looking at the phone, tapping it and shaking it, it seemed to work again, it had a dial tone.
"I think I've got it now ... Jack, I don't have any money on my phone, will you call me to see if my phone is working."

"Sure." I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I had Mario's number programed in my phone, I called him two or three times in the last few days. I found his name in my phone and hit the button to call him. Mario stood about ten feet away from me, waiting, and casually watched me with my phone, at the same time talking to M. Meanwhile, in my phone I hear it calling his phone.
I hear him answer while I'm watching him a few feet away and he is holding his phone at waist level, it hadn't rung. In my phone I heard it ring and hear him answer it. Mario's voice, while I plainly shisee his phone rings and he hasn't answered his it.

"Mario", I say into the phone when I hear him respond on his phone, I hear him he ask me what is going on. Mario on the dock hears me and looks my way.

I say to him, "I'm talking to you on the phone...I just called you."

"I didn't hear anything."

"I know. I 'm watching you, but on my phone I heard you answer."

And that is the story as it happened. I called him and he answered. I didn't see him answer and as I watched his phone never rang. I hung up. I should have kept him on the phone, let him talk to himself.



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