My bedside phone rang early this morning. A phone call to me that early would be a sign of bad news. (But, maybe, just maybe, I had won the Readers Clearing House Sweepstakes?)

I said Hello? A male voice said something that, having just been awakened, I didn't quite hear, plus there was a noise on the line. I said "Who is this?" He said "Your oldest grandson." I said, in shock, "David? Where are you?" He said there was a bad accident last night. By now I knew this was not my grandson; the voice sounded nothing like him, and he would have said his name, but I was curious. I asked him what happened. He said his nose was broken in two places and his lip had 8 (or 18) stitches. (Poor boy!) Then he said there is a loud noise on the phone, did I hear it? That is an old phone which is seldom used so I said, yes, let me get on another phone. I wanted to hear the rest of this pitiful story. (Actually, at this point, I only wanted to get out of bed and into a chair.) So I went to another phone. He said he could still hear the noise and asked if I could hear it. I told him I could. I wondered if he was making the noise, so it would sound like a jail phone. (Maybe I watch too much TV?)

I asked him again where he was. He said he was in jail. (Yeah, my oldest grandson is badly injured, in jail, and he calls me, not his wife?) I was beginning to enjoy this. We have all heard about this very kind of sad story. Again, I asked him where he was, and again he said in jail. I said, yes, but where in jail? Then he said if I tell you it would have to stay just between us. (Oh. A great conspiracy is taking place!) Again, I said just tell me where you are. He said I would have to promise to keep it just between us. I said I would if he would just tell me where he is.

I guess I had tried his patience by then, and he said something I didn't quite catch, followed by Okay, Grandma, just take your xxxxxx medication and go back to bed!

I hung up. Now I wish I had stayed on so I could have heard him tell me how much money he needed to get out of jail, and to just go to Western Union and etc, etc.

Sad. That young man is somebody's son, and grandson. Thankfully, not mine. And some grandmother will fall for this and actually send the money. I guess he knows grandmothers are easier marks.

Pitiful.

Sue