If you want the short story or want to save yourself scanning through just another drunken So@24 story the answer is: the call never got made.
I know, I know. You think it's because I got too drunk, right? And if you're thinking this... you're half right.
Here's my story...
Alcohol has the ability to make someone more self-confident or daring; they may become more friendly or talkative, and/or social. I pulled this directly from here and if it's Wikipedia, you know it's true.
I was a bit nervous before making this phone call. So I thought, "why not just have a few drinks to calm my jangled nerves?" Leo, Leroy and I already made plans to go to one of our old watering holes anyway.
Turns out a few drinks turned into 3 shots of Early Times whiskey with Leroy and then 3 Newcastles with Leo at the bar. I think it was safe to say that my nerves were gone and I was ready to make the call. Unfortunately, with the timezone difference, I would have given her quite a wakeup call... at 8:00am on a Saturday.
As much as Leo & Jack kept trying to explain this to me, I am not a patient man... especially when the booze hits me. I think at one point, Leo took my phone away, "Dude. She's going to hate you for calling so early! Is this the kind of first impression you want to give?"
I finally got dropped off at home and sat alone at the kitchen table. I was alone, as Leo had stayed behind, and I was trying to make the blurry calling card instructions UNblurry by squinting. I hear that works.
I got an error message at least 8 times. Finally I called the 24 hour service on the back of the card.
Operator: How can I help you, sir?
So@24: Your card isn't working. I can't call my friend! She's waiting for this call!
Operator: What's the number?
So@24: XX-XXX-XXXX
Operator: That's a cellphone number. You know you can't call a cellphone number using this card, right?
So@24: What kind of racket is this?? I want my $20 back!
Operator: Are you drunk?
So@24: Are you??
Operator: I'm going now.
So@24: Wait... waaaaaaaaaaaait!
*click*
I shut off the kitchen light and checked the ol' bloggy for new comments. One of my commenters left me with a tip for another international calling service... success!
I purchased $10 worth of credits. I would not be defeated so easily. This time the phone was ringing! My heart was racing a mile a minute. I was starting to sweat. This was it.
"I'm sorry. This service is not available at this time. Please try again later."*
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I didn't know what else to do. And my head was spinning. I sent off an email letting Caitlin know that I at least tried.
The next few hours I experienced that kind of sleep you have when you're 7 years old on Christmas eve or the night before a major final. The kind where you wake up every couple of hours.
The first time I woke up was 4:45am... my mouth was dry, my head throbbing, my memory hazy, and I was fully dressed on top of my sheets clutching my cellphone, a crumpled phone card, and Caitlin's number scribbled hastily on a ripped, scrap of paper.
I woke up again at 7:16am, and then finally 8:30am checking my inbox to see if I had received a response.**
She had emailed me and when she got online, we tried troubleshooting why the call didn't go through.
Our deduction? Turns out a cellphone in one country won't work in another country. Who knew?
I can't remember the last time I jumped through this many hoops to make a phone call.
* a female voice with an Irish accent. Close enough, I suppose.
** Yeah, I know I might be showing too many of my cards too early since she has access to this blog, but fuck it... the blog is censored for no one!