The Middle Of The Night Phone Call
The phone rang.
It was 2:37am.
In the dark I recognised the ringtone as the one that we had set up for my Mum. During the day it's a rather jolly tune, in the dead of night it's creepy and takes on a sinister tone.
I answered the phone.
Hello Mum?
There was no answer.
Dark thoughts filled my head. Had she fallen? Was she having a low blood sugar problem and wasn't able to talk?
My husband sat up, the phone ringing in the dead of night isn't good news.
Then my Mum started talking in a really heavy Scottish accent. This is the sort of accent she usually reserves for her siblings. It is her real accent and one I have to listen hard to, to understand every word, especially when it's the middle of the night and she appears to be rambling.
Most of the time I understand my Mum when she is talking in her real accent, even if most people in England have only heard her speak with her English voice. When she moved to England many years ago, she was told to drop her accent because the Teachers couldn't understand her. She, like my Gran developed an English speaking voice as a way to be understood and I guess accepted by the community.
I'm the same. I have a voice I use for my Mum and for a lesser extent my extended Scottish relatives. It's softer less of a brogue and more what you'd expect a kindly spinster Scottish Aunt to have. It isn't my "real" voice, it's one that I picked up because I spent a lot of time with my Aunts and Gran when I was younger.
Amidst the babbling I heard my Mum mention Facebook.
FACEBOOK? Was my Mum phoning me at 2:30am because she couldn't get into Facebook?
Being on Facebook at 2:30am isn't unusual. My Mum has insomnia and will often be on Social Media chatting away with other friends and relatives who are also awake.
Suddenly it clicked.
My Mum was talking in her deepest accent and talking about Facebook. She wasn't trying to get me, she was trying to get her Sister.
MUM. I almost shouted to get her attention (and stop the rambling). It's Pippa. Are you aware that it is 2:30am?
Pippa?! Oh. I thought you were my sister. Sorry.
That's okay Mum. Night Mum. Bye Mum.
I hung up the phone and lay back in bed. Guess who couldn't fall back asleep?
Yup, Me.
It was 2:37am.
In the dark I recognised the ringtone as the one that we had set up for my Mum. During the day it's a rather jolly tune, in the dead of night it's creepy and takes on a sinister tone.
I answered the phone.
Hello Mum?
There was no answer.
Dark thoughts filled my head. Had she fallen? Was she having a low blood sugar problem and wasn't able to talk?
Had she butt dialed me?!
My husband sat up, the phone ringing in the dead of night isn't good news.
Then my Mum started talking in a really heavy Scottish accent. This is the sort of accent she usually reserves for her siblings. It is her real accent and one I have to listen hard to, to understand every word, especially when it's the middle of the night and she appears to be rambling.
Most of the time I understand my Mum when she is talking in her real accent, even if most people in England have only heard her speak with her English voice. When she moved to England many years ago, she was told to drop her accent because the Teachers couldn't understand her. She, like my Gran developed an English speaking voice as a way to be understood and I guess accepted by the community.
I'm the same. I have a voice I use for my Mum and for a lesser extent my extended Scottish relatives. It's softer less of a brogue and more what you'd expect a kindly spinster Scottish Aunt to have. It isn't my "real" voice, it's one that I picked up because I spent a lot of time with my Aunts and Gran when I was younger.
Amidst the babbling I heard my Mum mention Facebook.
FACEBOOK? Was my Mum phoning me at 2:30am because she couldn't get into Facebook?
Being on Facebook at 2:30am isn't unusual. My Mum has insomnia and will often be on Social Media chatting away with other friends and relatives who are also awake.
Suddenly it clicked.
My Mum was talking in her deepest accent and talking about Facebook. She wasn't trying to get me, she was trying to get her Sister.
MUM. I almost shouted to get her attention (and stop the rambling). It's Pippa. Are you aware that it is 2:30am?
Pippa?! Oh. I thought you were my sister. Sorry.
That's okay Mum. Night Mum. Bye Mum.
I hung up the phone and lay back in bed. Guess who couldn't fall back asleep?
Yup, Me.