When the children were very small and like most small children, they took quite a fascination to the phone, making pretend calls and receiving pretend calls -things like that. I used to call them numerous times a day from the office, even before they could speak, just so they could listen to my voice. So, suffice to say, they got very attached to the phone quite early.
Anyway, back to their fascination with the phone, one of them started stabbing her chubby fingers on the buttons and unwittingly, a call went through to the emergency service several times. The efficient officer at the end of the line of course couldn't dismiss the call as just a prank call and had to investigate, especially when she heard a child's voice. Thus, that was when I got a call asking me all sorts of details. She very sternly warned me to make sure that the phone was out of reach of the children as they could very well be blocking other emergency calls coming in. Well, that is understandable.
There was another incident, when another child, which shall remain nameless here, called the police because the father had not come home at the expected time., as promised to him. Again, we got reprimanded by the police. Oh well, these are children, but according to one report today, the police had to warn people - adults- not to waste their time dialling 999 for some very trivial complains. And here are some of them. and more here:
-One man rang 999 to say two squirrels were fighting in his back garden,
-a couple who had handcuffed themselves together "for a joke" rang to inform police they had lost the key.
-a woman who was having a problem with her knitting dialled 999,
- a woman driving on the M1, who wanted to know the time.
- a man rang South Yorkshire Police to request they deal with the birds singing on his roof because he could not get any sleep.
- the Thames Valley force said it had been contacted about ghost stories, Elvis sightings and requests for taxis.
- a man with smelly feet called for an ambulance as the odour was making him feel nauseous.
_ a man at a restaurant who had found a hair in his food .
-in Dubai, recent queries have included whether a certain brand of bottled water is healthy or not, how to check the credit on a mobile phone and advice on where to find a lost dog.
Happy 090909
And here's my 7777 story on 070707:
Did you know that today is 0 70707?
39 comments:
We will never forget 99 Westbourne Terrace where it was all too short a stay, enjoying listening to 99 The Red Baloon, both being short of one 9. And now we have 10, one exceeding 9, but not likely to become 99. Guess what?
Abang Ngah
Kak Teh,
I'm going to try my luck today. Will dial 999 with one question *Hari ni nak masak apa?* ;)
Abang ngah, that's an easy - the answer is CUCU and it is not likely to remain at 10!!!
naz, yes, pls do it and speak in pekat kedah and you'd be very surprised if suddenly you get a reply: Mai cek nak habark - hang pi beli toge dua tiga bungkuih, hang balik pi buat cucork udang ka, buat mee goreng kaa...lagu mana? jadi? hehehe!
Salam Kak Teh,
Here's another bit of trivia from me on the 999 emergency phone number.
Back in the days when the telephone dial was the rotary type, dialing the numeral 9 was the slowest of all because the dial had to be turned or rotated the furthest. Also doubly long because it had to return to its original position before you can dial the next number.
Some smart soul suggested that this is taking too long and the number should be changed to 111.
Of course today, the push button dial makes this issue moot.
Komen Pak Malim, kucing ray yg alim.
Moyang saya, arwah Bobo, ekor dia macam 999 jugak, kata Pak Malim sambil menembak gagak. Saya fikir, moyang agak depress, kerana ekornya tak boleh lurus, kata Pak Malim sambil memegang berus. Kak Teh, nak pinjam telepon baru, boleh? kata Pak Malim sambil memegang koleh.
Oldstock, thanks for that piece of trivia. It does make sense, right when you are in a hurry and yet number nine took a long way to go. But yes, the touch button makes it even easier - even more so for a child!
Pak Malim,
Moyang Pak Malim ekor 999?
tanya kak teh penuh kehairanan.
dia tak pakai straightener kah, ketawa kak teh berdekah-dekah.
Nak pinjam telefon boleh, pelawa kak teh sambil minum teh.
I'm just glad I never had to dial 999 myself. As for me, no 999 stories beyond that today's my blogging anniversary - 8 years of blogging since 2001.
So yeah, 09.09.09? I love this date, Kak Teh. :)
Kenny dear, congratulations!!! Its a pity that its not the 9th anniversary - or else it would have been better. Such a beautiful number!
Kak Teh,
999? Zaman kanak-kanak dulu sukaaaaa dial that number :) However Telekom people those days weren't canggih enough to trace who the called was. So lepas call dengar three rings, letak phone!! Punyer lah notty kan??
Something did happen this morning around 10am. Colleagues in the office felt the building shake!! Somehow I didn't feel it lah pulak. Boss kata coz shock absorber besaq...sebab tu tak rasa. Adaaa kaaa !!! Later we learnt it was a mild after shock from an earthquake in Jogja.
kay, your kenakalan pun very canggih! Guna telefon! Kita nakal pakai lastik saja tembak orang!
anyway, shock absorber besar? I tak nampak pun masa lake club tu, hehe! you know, my friend told me that as a result of the earthquake, the apartment where I stayed when i was there baru2 ni - the room that i slept in - cracked! seram!
Very auspicious number. I had an unforgettable experience too with that number. My one and only kid (that time) playfully dialed that number and within minutes Durham constabulary came and knocked on my apartment (kita pun terkebil-kebil). nothing serious tough but was cautioned for that :) On the other hand, very efficient police force I must say.
DrSam, yes, thank God for their efficiency. This reminds me of one story. I was with AG in Cardiff, visiting one of the Pak Cik sailors there and AG saw this red thread hanging from the ceiling. He thought it was for the light going into the bathroom so he pulled it and within minutes the police came to check whether the old man was alright as he was living alone. Efficient, kan?
Dear Kak Teh, I absolutely love your 7 series story and AG's "do you know?"
But does he know that
9+9+9=2+7=9
9+9=1+8=9
even
9+9+9+9=3+6=9
9+9+9+9+9=4+5=9
That's the magic of the nine
Just some trivia - I'm sure AG knows about it - but still why not ask him "Do you know"
Ring ring! Ring ring!
Hello Kak Teh..its past 090909..
however I would like to sembang a bit with you..
today Dato' went to the clinic..doc kata hes got HBP..ada ubat2 kena makan..biasanya doc kata dah kena masuk wad..
Ahh..bila berbuka dia tanya mana ikan jeruk masin..I said you kena cut down your salt intake..senyap dia.Kalau ada kari or gulai kurma, dia mesti cari ikan masin!
Then tadi I had a long table meeting with my Pahang artists friends..they are a great lot..we are planning some KL exhibitions next month..I dah lama hibernate as their marketing arm!hehe
Next month for starters..lobby TV3!
O yeah..Hakim took his theory driving test pagi tadi..passing mark 42, he dapat 41..he said tak cukup ulangkaji..hahaha..we just laughed it out!Kena ambik semula!
Lastly..I have to go for a medical checkup tomorrow..hopefully its nothing to worry..
Bye2 Kak Teh!Thanks!
Dear Dr Sam, my cursor has a mind of its own. Just as i was about to publish your comment, it went to reject it. Macam berhantu pulak! So, I have copied and pasted it from the email that went into my email box. Nasib baik.
Dr Sam says:
tu le Kak Teh. Bagus betul dan memang patut dipuji. Kat sini tak pula jadi macam tu. Nak buat camno.
I think the service there bukan dipuji tapi diuji!
Zendra, that 7777 story is one of my favourites. There's less do you know stories now from him as the children are bigger and seldom tail us around everywhere. It used to be like one educational trip.
and wow, i didnt realise that the number nine is one kind of a magic number. I will ask him and it will be his turn to be astounded. But I must rehearse properly or he will pull the rug under my feet before i could finish it.
Mamasita, ring ring ring, kak teh making a return call. Dato must take care of what he eats. it can be quite dangerous kan.
And it is a coincidence that your hakim went to his driving test on the same day taufiq went to his. Unfortunately, he failed - just duringthe last five mnutes before the test ended and he is so angry. This is his third attempt, kesian!
well - he will not give up. I failed three times and I have given up.
dear kt & oldstock,
that's an interesting bit of info abt dialling 999 for emergency.
i wonder if that's the reason why the US changed its emergency dialling code from 999 to 911. hmmm!
neeways, wish you & fellow visitors a lucky 999!
Dear Kak Teh,
We don't have 999 here. It's 000 for us. Perhaps because of the old telephone. We used it once to complain about some noisy partying neighbours. Mama was studying for her exams, so must be stressful for her.
Masa kecik-kecik I tak pernah main-main dial 999. Bukan pasal I baik ke apa, tapi pasal masa tu kat rumah I takde phone... hehehe...
Well, I did dial 999 once a few years ago sebab ada a neighbour's house terbakar. Rumah kampong pulak tu, papan... so cepat ajelah disambar api. Nothing could be saved, but then again, nasib baik tak ada nyawa melayang.
Kak Teh,
I tak ada 999 stories except two wonderful ladies had their birthday yesterday but have to postpone their birthday celebration till after fasting month.
How wonderful to have one exceeding 9 like Al Manar, i only have one but in a few week going to be 2.
Salam
Kak Teh,
I think kids still like dialling 999 or random numbers today as much as they did in the yesteryears; particularly during the school holidays.
Occasionally, I do get calls from numbers that I do not recognised on my phone and when I answer, all I get are giggling kids.
And the worst thing is that they don't stop at that. Thanks to the redial button, they would wont to repeat the prank.
On cue, I would answer the phone with the best imitation of my Mother's "Teacher Voice" and boomed "Hello, Balai Polis". Works like a gem most days.
And when the caller is a persistant adult who doesn't seemed to understand the answer "Wrong Number", I would casually informed them that they have called the "Rumah Mayat" MUAHAHAHAHA!!
Salam,
Kak Teh,
Never dial a 999 number because my parent are not shy with their cane. Once my father almost chopped off the house phone because little brother "bergayut" activities burn a big hole in his pocked.(zaman tu mana ada hp macam budak sekarang ini).
Di Malaysia dalam surat kabar ramai pengantin dari kaum Tionghua berkahwin pada tarikh unik ini.
Semalam juga di pejabat, salah seorang staff bilang, 070707,080808,090909 tak juga jadi -jadi, kekal aja dia membujang! :D
No worry Kak Teh. Understood di bulan posa ni. Luckily you didn't dial that auspicious number asking for help to retrieve your lost comment :)
Have a nice day Kak Teh.
mekyam, nothing towards happened that warranted a 999 on 090909 yesterday except that I was perhaps tempted to when the book launch I was attending went on and on after iftar. My tummy was growling and I only had a piece of chocolate. I could have dialled 999 and asked for a takeaway service.
cats in Sydney, with noisy neighbours you need 999 on speed dial! They deserve it. Mine stopped being noisy once he stopped drnking - but once in a while we could still hear some arguments with all the dogs joining in. You'd have loved the scene as well.
Pi Bani, wah you dialled 999 to report a fire? Hebat tu! We dialled 999 when Taufiq didnt come home from school perhaps five ramadhans ago, when during another Ramadhan, AG witnessed a shooting (macam di Bronx!) walking home from Terawikh. That was scary.
NanaDJ, wah, congratulations to you! Now you are going to have your hands full! I am sure you are one doting Nana. Salam and selamat berbuka.
Am determined to try some of those recipes that you sent me.
Andrea, you can be so garang! I can imagine the inconvenience of having to answer prank calls. That would rile me up too. Yes, that traceable number helps and also, cant u block certain calls?
Rumah mayat should put them off - do that eerie voice with some eerie music in the backgroud for good measure.
Aliff, I read about the weddings and tell your friend not to give up - there's still 101010.
We went through the bergayut stage as well - now if they bergayut with their own handphone its okay - though not advisable because of the radiation, kan? Boleh hangit otak.
Dr Sam, hahaha, that would be the day! Please officer, I have lost a comment. I suspect it was stolen by a cyber thief.
kak teh wrote: "nothing untoward happened that warranted a 999 on 090909 yesterday".
dear McJaroh,
but of course! it was after all an auspicious date.
over here, even in da bronx there wasn't even a shooting worth reporting.
or an oven responding to a cellphone call either [per this story in nyt that farina broke in her fb http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/nyregion/23about.html?_r=1]
McYam, responding fr across the pond.
p.s. btw kt, poor bronx was actually given a bad rep by hollywood. there are many other places more dangerous but their names just don't sound as badass as da bronx. ;D.
mekyam, that phone callng the oven is quite funny yet scary! It is true after all avt cell phones triggering other gadgets. I am still wary abt using handphones at petrol stations.
oh ya, i know bronx must be a hollywood creation to suit their storylines.
Wow - unforgettable stories you have there. Thanks so much for sharing.
Here's wishing you and yours many meaningful and spiritual times during this fasting season.
Take care and selamat berpuasa.
Salam.
Wow - great stories. Thanks for sharing.
Here's wishing you and yours a meaningful and spiritual fasting season.
Selamat berpuasa.
Paula, thanks for the double dose of the message. Those insignificant stories were just my way of updating the blog - nothing much - hehe! some trivia on a very signifcant date.
Hi Aunty Teh!
Adoi, long time no see la. And you come and post this 'hilarious' piece ;) Nice to come back and read something like this.
The orientation on campus actually tells you that when there's an emergency, you SHOULD call 911 (here not 999 ma).
Accordingly, many people, in the panic and haste, forget that 911 is the first # to call, and end up calling the student-don or something.
But people do call 999/911 for funny reasons, eh?!
Did you see the video of the kid who called 911 because he needed help with his math homework, and he told the officer his parents told him if he ever needed help, 911's the # to call?
The officer actually helped the little kid! He was like 4 =)
You can watch the video here!
I don't know if it's real, but it was funny and awwww at the same time...
Dear Kak Teh, Salam Aidilfitri to you and family.
[Here is my 080808 story. [http://ordinarysuperhero.blogspot.com/search/label/08080808%20The%20Amazing%20Ride]
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