I've Had An Accident

27 June 2011

Challenges! Challenges!

When the phone rang this morning, I didn't recognize the number, but was glad to hear my grandson's voice. But he sounded terrible.

Grandson: "Grandma?"

Me: "Hey, it's good to hear from you. But you don't sound so good."

Grandson: "Well, I'm still fighting a throat infection."

Me: "That's hung on a long time. I'm sorry."

Grandson: "I got in a little trouble this morning."

Me: "Oh? What's wrong?"
Grandson: "I had an accident."

Me: "Uh-oh. I'm sorry. Your folks aren't here. Your dad's playing golf and your mom's getting a haircut. But they've got their cell phones. You'd better call one of them."

The phone went dead. That happens sometimes with calls from my grandson. I don't know whether it's his cell phone or our reception here, but it happens."

I didn't try to reconnect because I knew he'd be calling either of his parents. Was he hurt? Was someone else hurt? Was he calling from a hospital? Were the police involved. Was he calling from a police station? Was that maybe his "one" call?

Would it cancel his scheduled visit here next weekend? Would it cancel my visit to my other new grandson next weekend? Was his car totaled?

I remembered his dad's first car accident, and how a friend tried to comfort me by saying every new driver had to experience an accident early on. But my grandson is 20, has been driving for four years, and never yet had that "first."

My heart ached. So I prayed. I knew that was the best thing I could do while the others sorted things out.

When neither my son nor daughter-in-law called or arrived home before expected, I began to wonder if they had heard from him. Then the thoughts began again. What if he was injured and the disconnect was because of something terrible involving EMT's or ER's or doctors or police officers? And what if I hadn't let them know? So, belatedly, I called.

No, my daughter-in-law hadn't heard from him. My heart jumped. When she arrived a few minutes later, she had talked with him and he was fine--he hadn't called me. There was no accident!

I was the receiving end of an attempted scam.

I've heard of the scam against elderly relatives. A grandchild will call, in trouble, unable to reach his parents, needing money--sometimes pretending to be in a foreign country without resources.

I can't imagine a grandmother or grandfather who wouldn't know their grandchild's voice, or know if they were traveling in a foreign country. But I had no question that I was not talking to my grandson.

I have no clue as to how the scammer tried my number, or knew he was talking to a grandmother. Perhaps if whoever answered hadn't responded to that initial "Grandma" he'd have hung up instantly.

I wouldn't have sent money; his parents would be responsible for that. But if I thought it was truly my grandson, I'd want to.

And next time he visits, I'll probably slip him a twenty before he leaves.