(It’s important to read Scene 1 or this won’t make any sense! It probably still won’t make sense!)
Scene 2
A fifty-something woman named Karen is doing chores in her house. The phone rings. Karen sees that the call is from the dentist’s office. She wonders if she has forgotten an appointment.
KAREN
Hello?
RECEPTIONIST
Hi, is this Karen?
KAREN
Yes, hi.
RECEPTIONIST
Hi, Karen. This is Receptionist.
KAREN
Hi. Hey, I heard you guys had changed dentists. It’s nice to know you are still working there. But I’m leaving it up to the kids to make their own appointments now that they’re over 18, and I wasn’t sure if you guys would still see adults, too. I know I’m way behind in getting an appointment for myself.
RECEPTIONIST
(Pausing.) We do still take parents, but actually I was calling because, well, we’ve changed phone systems since the practice sold. (Another pause.) The system changed a while ago so that we can get text messages now. Did you know that?
(Awkward pause…)
KAREN
Ummmm, no. I always call the office anyway, but thanks for letting me know.
RECEPTIONIST
(Another awkward pause.) I just wanted to let you know that we’ve been getting your text messages.
KAREN
My messages? I don’t think I’ve sent you any text messages. I didn’t think I had an appointment any time soon. Maybe you are thinking of someone else?
RECEPTIONIST
(Another awkward pause.) No, it’s this number for sure. We’ve been getting some random texts from this number. I was ignoring it at first but I thought, well, maybe you would want to know that you’re texting our office and that we can, ummm, see them.
KAREN
That’s weird. What do they say?
RECEPTIONIST
(Another awkward pause.) Well, most of the time it seems like it’s a grocery list.
KAREN
Oh, God! I’m so embarrassed! I forgot I’ve been texting this number as a to-do list. Way back when you were just a landline, I knew you didn’t get texts. So your number was just an easy place to make lists for myself. That was, like, ten years ago! I totally forgot those lists were using your number.
RECEPTIONIST
(Quizzically) Ummm, ok. Well, we get them now. (Delicately) We get everything you send us.
KAREN
I’m so sorry. You must have been so confused by that! I’ll find another place to keep my grocery lists. (Laughing) You must have really wondered! I’m so embarrassed!
RECEPTIONIST
Yeah, ummmm, we were confused. Anyway, did you want to make an appointment while I have you on the phone?
KAREN
No, I’m kind of in the middle of something. I’ll call you back once I’m around my calendar.
RECEPTIONIST
Great. Okay, well, have a good day.
KAREN
Thanks. Bye.
Karen immediately checks her text history with the dentist’s number, to see what she’s been sending the dentist. She is relieved that the recent texts are mostly grocery lists and an occasional innocuous reminder to do something.
She finishes her chores and sits down on the couch to read some emails on her computer and prep for school the next day. A few hours later, she suddenly remembers some photos she had texted as a reminder to herself, before deciding to delete them from her phone.
She realizes that the pictures she didn’t even want to keep on her phone have been texted to the dentist. No wonder Receptionist was so awkward!
KAREN
(to herself, red faced) Oh, SHIT! I guess I’ll never go to that dentist again!
I invite readers to comment below. Can you imagine what photos you would put on a to-do list that you would later decide you didn’t want to keep? Why is Karen using the dentist’s phone number as a to-do list? No spoilers please if you have heard the story. And by the way, Karen is her real name. She’s my sister.
You may proceed to Scene 3 for the reveal. It is published now.