Wrong Numbers Ring In The Election Season

John and Stacey H. of Spokane have an unlisted phone number.

It’s the same as the state Voter Hotline, except for the 1-800 part. And because that election information number features the same three-digit prefix as some local phone numbers, many people assume they can just leave off the 1-800 and simply dial the seven-digit number.

Of course, when callers do that they end up phoning John and Stacey. “This has been going on for four or five years now and getting worse every year,” said Stacey.

(They don’t want to get a new number because, except during election season, they like their current, easily remembered one.)

The thing is, the leave-a-message recording on John and Stacey’s phone features comedian Rich Little doing impressions of famous figures such as W.C. Fields and John Wayne. And people still leave election-related messages. Some want to be called back about absentee ballots. Others want to register address changes. One guy left his social security number.

“Some people, not realizing they have misdialed, leave messages chastising `us’ for such an unprofessional message,” said Stacey. “Yesterday a lady left this one word comment: `Disgusting.’ “

* Or something like that: One of Ginny Ressel’s kindergarten students recently reported having “a real bad ear confection.”

* Zen master: His family was telling knock-knock jokes and playing other word games when 7-year-old Eli Majnarich’s dad asked, “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?”

Eli knew the answer. “A spanking,” he said.

* Hardiest cyclist: “Without a doubt, my dad, John Bruning of Coeur d’Alene, is the toughest biker around,” wrote Marya Bruning, a senior at the University of Idaho. “He has been riding his bike to work at the Forest Service for the past 23 years. That’s six miles round-trip, five days per week — rain or shine.

“He has endured dogs, crazy motorists and the jeers of children riding the school bus. The man will wear gloves, a hat, and a coat only after the temperature has dropped about 20 degrees below where most people would give up and drive to work. “My dad is so tough that he has even ridden home after fighting forest fires.

“… He doesn’t often mention to people that he is a bicycle commuter. But he would never dream of doing it any other way.”

* Today’s Slice question: What getting-dressed mistake have you made that you didn’t discover until you got to work?