Dying Alone & Loners' Unnoticed Deaths

[Floyd]

It would annoy the hell out of me to know that I 'had to' phone someone night and morning. As, no doubt, it would annoy the person having to be available to receive the calls. Maybe this works best if both parties are very elderly?

I was incredibly busy a few years ago and my eldest daughter put a message up on the group chat asking 'has anyone heard from Mum lately? She's not been online for a while.' Why it didn't occur to her to just message me to ask, I have no idea.

It's the husband and wife combo who have conversations between themselves on facebook for us all to see that really annoy me.

 

[Sollywos]

It would annoy the hell out of me to know that I 'had to' phone someone night and morning.

Indeed! My mother who lived in the same town as my sister used to ring her every night and every morning. I know my sister found it a real strain as she'd be rushing around getting her son ready for school and herself ready for work or cooking the evening meal.

Now I understand a quick check in everyday ... 'good morning I'm awake' type thing. But mum would insist on a long chat and never took any hints. She had neighbours nearby to chat to, a weekly craft club, and joint shopping trips with friends but still she insisted on this routine.

I don't know why my sister put up with it but she took it as some sort of karmic punishment for having always been my mums favourite (and oh boy she really was!).

I don't insist on daily calls from my sons as I know what it was like for my sister. My youngest who lives not too far away rings almost daily but if I didn't pick up or didn't ring him I'm not sure how long it would be before he became concerned and investigated as there could be lots of reasons why either of us is not answering the phone. Perhaps I should ask him?

 

[catseye]

Indeed! My mother who lived in the same town as my sister used to ring her every night and every morning. I know my sister found it a real strain as she'd be rushing around getting her son ready for school and herself ready for work or cooking the evening meal.

Now I understand a quick check in everyday ... 'good morning I'm awake' type thing. But mum would insist on a long chat and never took any hints. She had neighbours nearby to chat to, a weekly craft club, and joint shopping trips with friends but still she insisted on this routine.

I don't know why my sister put up with it but she took it as some sort of karmic punishment for having always been my mums favourite (and oh boy she really was!).

I don't insist on daily calls from my sons as I know what it was like for my sister. My youngest who lives not too far away rings almost daily but if I didn't pick up or didn't ring him I'm not sure how long it would be before he became concerned and investigated as there could be lots of reasons why either of us is not answering the phone. Perhaps I should ask him?

I wouldn't mind texting every day, but actually phoning would be far too intrusive!

 

[Analogue Boy]

I had an old school friend who started drunk calling me decades after we left school. I mean steaming drunk calls around midnight on a Friday night. There wasn’t much I could do except try and figure out what was going on in his life. Turned out he had cancer and died a few year later. His funeral song was Cream’s ‘Sitting on Top of the World’.

 

[Sollywos]

I wouldn't mind texting every day, but actually phoning would be far too intrusive!

This is why I'm toying with the idea of biting the bullet and getting one of them there fancy gadgets that everyone else seems to have. I'd no doubt be in better touch with my oldest son which would be a bonus as he's always so busy!

 

[brownmane]

My brother just texted me to see what I am up to. I said "Nothing, why?". Apparently my mom thinks I've left the planet since she's told my brother that she has tried to call me several times and has had no answer.

I had a message from her a couple of nights ago, but had my phone off and only heard it after 11 pm so didn't call and then forgot. I looked at my phone calls and we just chatted Thursday.

I called her Thursday and only spoke briefly to her as she HAD to watch the hockey game. She often cuts my calls short. I can't call her between 6 & 7 pm cuz it interrupts her weather report.

 

[hunck]

I can't call her between 6 & 7 pm cuz it interrupts her weather report.

Weather Report were a great band but that’s very time specific. A woman of habit.

 

[Stormkhan]

I wonder if this 'duty call' expected by people has given rise to the scams where someone demands 'emergency' money on WhatsApp or whatever because their phone has been stolen "I'm using a friends phone to contact you!"