Crank Phone Calls

Part of the internet is a required landline.  There is no way around it.  I of course have a telephone that can plug into the wall…I know, crazy thought that I have a phone that isn’t mobile and actually has a CORD! Can you believe it?  I hooked up the phone because when you have a phone and a working phone line, it makes sense.  Of course I don’t know my phone number and we didn’t give it to anyone.  So imagine my surprise this morning while folding laundry: the phone started ringing.  If you know me,  I don’t really rush to answer my phone, especially if it is across the room and I am in the middle of folding all the sweet baby clothes.  So I ignored it and continued what I was doing.  But it just kept ringing.  Finally, I was finished folding the clothes and it was still ringing so I decided to answer it.  I deliberately did not answer “Ciao” or “punto” like the Italians answer the phone (punto-ready, go ahead and talk).  I was pretty sure the person calling was Italian and I didn't want them to get the wrong impression.  The woman on the other end said something.  Who knows what she actually said.  It sort of sounded like “Lizzie.”  I told her I don’t speak Italian so of course she continues to repeat the word in Italian.  Then she hangs up on me.  Immediately, she starts calling back.  I mean she obviously knows I don’t understand her and I am not who she is looking for.  She just hung up on me!  Naturally, I must answer the phone and see if she suddenly learned English or if I would magically understand Italian.  This time it sounded like she was saying “Regina.”  She again repeated herself for several attempts.  If I don’t understand you the first time, repeating the same word over and over without any new phrases or hand motions, I most likely won’t understand you the second time!  I did understand when she called me “stupid American” and hung up on me again.  Who is the stupid one?  You called the wrong number twice!