Early one morning:

ring ring

“(groggy) Hello”

“Is Tracy there?”

“(annoyed) No”

“Oh…  OK.  Please tell Tracy that Eric called”.

“(dismissive) Ok”

click

Late night a day or two later:

ring ring…  same conversation, without the groggy, but still with the annoyed and dismissive.

This afternoon:  ring ring  “Hello?”

“Is Tracy there?”

“(annoyed, but not obviously so) No”

“Oh. Well, this is Eric, and I’ve been trying to reach her, and if you could please tell her to call Eric, I’d appreciate it.  I’ve been trying to talk to her, and I can’t seem to reach her”.

NOW I realize this is not someone looking for my 44 year old male cousin Tracy, this is someone looking for some woman named Tracy.  I explained to Eric that there IS a Tracy living here, it’s my cousin, and he’s a 44 year old man.  That doesn’t seem to be who he’s looking for.  Hopefully he won’t wake me up anymore looking for this woman.

Tracy, if you’re reading this, please call Eric.  Or have someone else call him and tell him not to call me anymore!

Thanks.