Who are you?

An incident came across my mind and make me to have a smiling face. This incident happened few years back, about 3-4 years ago (2005).

Remember that night about 7pm, after a movie at Time Square with 4 of my friends and ready to drive them home. I received a call when we were driving out the parking and waiting for parking payment.

The memory still fresh in my mind. As usual, I pick up the call and answer. The guy at the other end said "eh Liew, can you come to TM Tower now, my motor is out of fuel, can you buy me some?" I answered "I'm now in KL, and I have somewhere else to go. Can you call other friends to help?" "Ah, ... like that ah ... I call others la..."

The content of the conversation almost there. However, the call last for 5 to 6 minutes. Until the moment I end the call, I laugh. My friends asked me what is so funny about. I said, even after I end the call, I still don't know who is the one on the other side. They heard, and laugh, too.

But for sure, the guy (confirm is a male voice) should be my secondary schoolmate. As those who call me with my surname, only those few. I have asked around who study nearby but none of them admit they made the call to me.

Then, will there be a chance friend from college or university? My answer, IMPOSSIBLE! My college or university mates all call me by name and not surname. Furthermore, the way the guy call me seems like we knew each other long long time ago. My relationship with those collegue & university mates are not as close as until can shout for help. We met only while there has class.

It is a mist to me, until today. First, I was unable to recognise the voice's owner during the 5 minutes conversation (I am pretty good in recognising voice, at least it is in good condition at that moment). Second, the call doesn't appear the caller name, obviously, he is not listed in my friend list.

Due to this incident, I always remind those society members especially the junior, please do the following when you made a call:

1. Identify yourself. Who are you. You name.
2. Ask whether the receiver convenient to talk.
3. Calling purpose.

It sounds like very simple and a bit nonsense. But, think twice, if someone call you, ask you damn full lot of questions, tell you the purpose of calling you, but never clarify who is he or she, what's your respond? It can skip and jump straight to the main point if the caller is your close friend or family members where you knew who they are.

Please don't 'presume'. Presume others knew who are you; presume other have saved your name and contact in their phone list; presume everyone is convenient to have long conversation with you all the time.

I do the 3 tasks above whenever I made a call even the client I have conversation for few times. This made me flash back that the client scold me when I tell her who I am, as she said she already knew the call is from me. but, what's wrong the sentence after 'hello' is your name?

No matter how important and urgent is the conversation you want to make, without clarify caller or your identity to the receiver, it is meaningless & communication breakdown. At last, the caller might make a wrong or fraud call.

The call I received, is the guy really need my help or it is a trap, I have totally no idea at all.