I’m not sure if this could be used as a TMI Thursday post, since it’s not really too much information. However, it was an embarassing moment that I remember like it was yesterday … So I’m going to tell it anyway.
When I was eight or nine, my parents decided to go out one night. My brother was barely two, and my sister was probably around six or seven. I remember that Mom was in the shower (preparing to go out with Dad), and Dad was next door at Granny’s house. Well, what better time to try out 911, I thought. I picked up the telephone and dialed the number quickly. When they answered, I hung up, my heart pounding. I waited a few moments before picking up the phone again, only to realize that they were still on the line. I hung up, and a few moments later, I figured they must have hung up too because the phone started ringing. Mom was out of the shower by this point, so she answered. It was the 911 operator calling back to find out what was wrong. Mom explained to them that I must have dialed the number, and they asked if they could send out a police officer to talk to me. I pleaded with my mom, telling her that I accidentally dialed the number while trying to call Granny’s house. (Yeah, right. I knew my granny’s number, and it was nowhere near 911.) I even thought about lying and saying that my sister did it. Yeah, I was such an awesome big sister.
Unfortunately, they sent a police officer to the house. I remember waiting on the front porch, and before I knew it, his car pulled up. I knew I was in trouble, so I quickly ran to my bedroom and locked the door. There was a small space between my bed and the wall, so I dove in the crack, hiding quietly. (Oh, who am I kidding? I was bawling.) When the officer came in, I continued to hide. Dad was home by now, and he was knocking on my door so I would let them in. I seriously thought I was going to jail. (Plus, I had never really been in trouble before by anyone other than my parents.) There was no way I was going to unlock the door.
I heard the police officer say that he could just leave, that it was no big deal. Dad insisted he stay to talk to me, though. He wanted me to know the importance of calling 911. Eventually, I started to feel bad for making the officer stay, so I unlocked the door–puffy eyes and all. Basically, he just told me that I only needed to call 911 if it was an emergency. Then he left. And that was it. Unfortunately, I’ve been scarred for life by the whole situation.
Moral of the story: don’t call 911 unless you’re prepared to hide between your bed and the wall for thirty minutes.
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