How Would You Handle This Wrong Number Situation?

[easysurfer]

All I can say is Grrrr! too many ways to communicate and miscommunicate these days.

Here's the situation...

An acquaintance in the condo where I live is about to move away soon. I am friends with her on Facebook (FB) but don't have phone number and don't know her well enough to call (via Facebook).

On the last FB message, she said that before she leaves, she and her husband will try to stop by and say goodbye before leaving but if we miss, then good bye now and was nice having you as a neighbor.

So, I was thinking, might be nice to get a bit of a heads up so in a FB message said, feel free to call me at my cell # before stopping by.

Then I realized today, I had a typo and gave a wrong number. So, I sent a FB message saying I gave the wrong number and gave the right one.

Usually, fine and dandy, the the person gets a FB notification of an instant message and checks it. But my neighbor isn't one to use FB often. I'd expect she won't even pick up my FB message until she's moved away.

So now, I'm thinking, if you had plans to stop by before moving, but end up first calling and get a wrong number, what would you do?


Thus, here is the waiting game ...

 

[Aerides]

So you left them a wrong number and then followed up to correct? Good chance she sees neither message.

How about you just pop round with a note?

 

[tmm99]

With my FB messenger, I can remove my own messages (3 dots on the right side of the message gives me that option.). And if the other person doesn't have the received-read function turned off, you can see if the person has already read your message or not.

Oh, sorry, this is a poll...

 

[easysurfer]

I voted on my own poll.

I chose option 2 as I would just double check to make sure I had the right number on FB messenger. I thus, when double checking, would see the message with the correct number.

But don't know if that would make too much sense .

 

[easysurfer]

So you left them a wrong number and then followed up to correct? Good chance she sees neither message.

How about you just pop round with a note?

Okay, I took your advice and slipped a note under my neighbor's door.

No guts no glory.

Didn't want the situation where they call to say bye but reach an automated voicemail and think I'm not around, so they take off.

 

[rk911]

we don’t use FB.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm starting to think that she chose door #1. That person can't be reached. I'm outta here. No Show. Think she may have took off yesterday.

May never know if she tried calling and got a wrong number or never did call and just left. Or maybe when someone says "Will try to stop by and say goodbye with spouse before leaving, but if we miss you, was nice meeting you" is just politeness and not really meaning they will try and but just a friendly way of saying goodbye.

Probably, about 5 months down the road she will finally get on Facebook and see my message about me giving her the wrong number.

Thing is, when I gave my number, a part of me was thinking, it wasn't right. One of those old age things (sucks being old) know I would not have made that mistake a few years ago.

 

[njhowie]

Or maybe when someone says "Will try to stop by and say goodbye with spouse before leaving, but if we miss you, was nice meeting you" is just politeness and not really meaning they will try and but just a friendly way of saying goodbye.

This ^^^

 

[easysurfer]

This ^^^

Thinks so? ... the art of being vague?

If that's the case, I would have much preferred something more concrete like "It sure was nice getting to know you. Will miss you. Take care". Not so ambiguous.

The try to stop by is more like saying to somebody "I may or may not show up for Thanksgiving".

 

[Aerides]

Thinks so? ... the art of being vague?

If that's the case, I would have much preferred something more concrete like "It sure was nice getting to know you. Will miss you. Take care". Not so ambiguous.

The try to stop by is more like saying to somebody "I may or may not show up for Thanksgiving".

A lot of people are more comfortable with being ambiguous. Don't let this awkward ending cloud your view of the friendship. It wasn't THAT close anyway if you never went beyond FB to communicate, and are only just now exchanging numbers when they go to leave.

 

[easysurfer]

A lot of people are more comfortable with being ambiguous. Don't let this awkward ending cloud your view of the friendship. It wasn't THAT close anyway if you never went beyond FB to communicate, and are only just now exchanging numbers when they go to leave.

I'm just trying to understand between the ambiguity and will wonder if the reason why is because of me giving the wrong number, or not. I can see many possibilities of what happened.

All plausible in mind mind. 1) Maybe they tried calling but got one of those automated direct to voice mail, so assumed, I'm not available and moved on. 2) Maybe was just politeness in conversation so there really wasn't an intent to say goodbye all along (though she did mention that twice - in person and on FB) 3) Maybe it was one of those "decide yes or no with spouse thing" as one thing I've learned is trying to plan stuff with a married couple can be an exercise is ambiguity.

Still beating myself up a bit about the wrong number. At least had I'd given the right number, there'd be more clarity. Now I don't know and has me speculating.

Thanks for the advice about not letting the awkward ending cloud my view of our friendship.

 

[kcowan]

We have learned the difference between acquaintances of convenience and friends.

I am still in touch with one friend from 53 years ago but tere have been many of the other types through the years.

I actually reached out to a former buddy when I discovered him selling real estate in Florida. He asked when I was relocating to FLA.

 

[ERObjd]

exactly, I dont think facebook friends are really friends anyway.. they are little more than 1 mouse click acquaintances. I dont have or sue facebook either or twitter either. I dont need social media. I have a phone a mailing address so that is 2 ways people can reach me and that's junk advertisment messages.

 

[easysurfer]

I guess fate does have a way of working out sometimes.

I was moping around about not saying goodbye to my friend so I chalked things up to a loss. Assuming probably they tried to call but took off after getting a wrong number.

So, I decided to go and just not dwell on things and went to the store to buy a bag of groceries. Went to get my mail and see a sign posted saying that the unit where my friend is at is moving today, 8 am - 12 pm. It's already 2 pm.

Then I press the elevator button and get ready to go up. The elevator doors open just by pure chance (or divine intervention ... wonder what are the odds) three people get off. My friend, her husband and her mother-in-law, carrying a few things left from her unit.

My friend tells me, "So glad I ran into you. We were walking around knocking on different doors" as she tossed out the building directory. She said she did get my note about my phone number being wrong. That I was one of the few people in the building that she knows. So, we do some small chit chat like me asking if they are driving or flying? We say our good byes, I shake her husband's hand and her mother-in-law's hand. My friend gives me a fist bump good bye.

As, they leave I hear her say "I"m so glad that we ran into him ...."

So, all things considered, turned out okay.

I will miss talking to my friend now and then just running into her. She is like the sweetest and welcoming person I've ever met. I'm so happy had a chance to officially say goodbye. Also, are recently Facebook friends so not totally lost touch.

 

[pdxgal]

Okay, I took your advice and slipped a note under my neighbor's door.

No guts no glory.

Sometimes the old-fashioned analog way is still easiest and fastest

 

[Sunset]

... I dont think facebook friends are really friends anyway.. they are little more than 1 mouse click acquaintances. .....

What... my 7,466 FB friends aren't going to show up to help me move in 3 months