Why I Didn’t Call You Back
May 26th, 2009 - Uncategorized - 14 Comments »One of the most awkward situations in life is running into a person who has left you a message that you haven’t returned. Most of the time they will just pretend like the phone call never happened. Other times, though, they’ll stare deep into your soul and broach the subject with vigor – Hey, did you get that message I left you? After the full-body sweat kicks in, I search my arsenal of excuses for the most appropriate one.
“Did you get a new number?”
You must say this phrase while pulling out the phone to scroll through recent calls with a confused look on your face to ensure maximum believability. You’re letting the person know that this was definitely a phone malfunction (sometimes it does this, you insist) and was in no way intentional. Before this person can probe any deeper, you need to ask for the “new” number and start programming it in.
“I’ve been meaning to, but I’ve been so busy.”
This is the lamest of excuses, but surprisingly acceptable. You convey the notion that calling this person back has constantly been in the back of your mind, but you were physically unable to make it happen. This explanation requires the ability to do two things at once – while you’re saying this, you must also be forming a list in your head of all the things that made you busy (you know, incase he asks).
“I knew I’d be seeing you.”
This is more of a panic reaction than a well-crafted excuse. Use this when you accidentally run into someone who is expecting a call back. Be careful of the context though. It can really backfire.
Neil: Hey Tyler! Say, did you get that message I left you last month?
Me: Oh…yeah. I, uh, didn’t call back cause I knew I’d be seeing you here. I was right!
Neil: You knew you’d be seeing me at a grocery store?
Me: Y-Yes…I…sure did. I know how much you love groceries.
Neil: So when you heard my message, you immediately thought, Instead of just calling Neil back, I’ll just drive up to Publix every now and then and see if I don’t run into him.
Me: Unconventional, huh?
“I got a new phone.”
While you may not have gotten a new phone in the time since the message was left, you have gotten a new phone at some point in your life. It’s a stretch, but you’d be surprised by its effectiveness.
What excuses do you use in this situation? I need some fresh ideas.
Oh, and what do you think of the different colored headings? Should I keep doing it?
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These excuses may need some work (lol!) but the colored headings are tops in my book! Keep up the good work.
I have small kids; I don’t ever have to talk to anyone ever again if I don’t want to. “Did you get my message?” “Yeah, but E threw up on the phone as I was trying to call you back, and L went to the bathroom on my mother-in-law’s prized begonias, and I haven’t eaten in 6 days. What did you need?”
I’ve come to realize in the past few years not to expect a call back and for that matter not to expect an excuse from Tyler. I just know that if I need something in the next month, I should call now. I might be better off sending him a letter in the mail.
I don’t know who Beth is but that is an awesome comment!
I called you last week. Why don’t you practice on me? Maybe you’ll think of something even better.
I’m starting to think this post was a bad idea.
I just say:
Yep. I got it. I just didn’t feel like talking to you.
Then I laugh like it was a joke. But it wasn’t. Then I quickly change the subject.
Im trying to think of all the excuses you have given me but there are too many to count… but anyways… My favorite excuse is to tell them I did call them and even go as far as to show them a past call you made to them. But dont show them the time. Just give them a hard time about them complaining you didnt call them and quickly shove the phone back into your pocket.
I learned the power of preemptive strikes from Norman Schwarzkopf many moons ago. I always have a list in my head of the people who I’ve yet to call back, and if I run into one of these people I usually start the conversation by saying, “Hey, got your message, sorry I havent called you back yet…” and then I go from there.
The up-front frankness of your apology is usually enough to disarm the potential awkwardness of the situation. Can you imagine if that wasn’t good enough for someone and they persisted on a legitimate excuse to call you back? I think I would cry. I dont handle confrontation well.
i’m curious if this same etiquette replies to emails as well…
probably not the best post for you t. then again, I’ve seen you more in the past year than any year since high school graduation.
i’ve found that if you tell them you forgot, its not ok. BUT, if you TOTALLY forgot, it’s ok.
It’s really hard to concentrate on the phone when my toddler is running around the house getting into who knows what AND I was taking a nap (since I’m pregnant and all, geez!) while he was napping (you know, my only down time during the day).
I was able to dodge this whole problem for years…Blame it on Sprint…problem solved. Everyone can sympathize with that…
But now I need a new excuse…
When faced with this question I used to say “sorry I didn’t call back but I hate you”. That failing you can always sound spiritual by saying “Message?? Oh sorry I’ve given up my mobile phone for Lent”.
No, I didn't. Sometimes my phone just doesn't show I have messages until a month later. That's so weird. Did you need something?