5:08 p.m. | 2002-12-21 Happy Henderson, I�ve Got Your Number. So the other day, I called Dearest Sister. I wasn�t sure if she was at work or at home, so I tried her home number first. Now, Dearest Sister is like me in that her home is her sanctuary and she doesn�t wanted to be bothered when she�s resting and relaxing so she screens her phone calls and only picks up when she feels like it. Only, she often goes farther than I do. A while ago, she got tired of people calling her and she disconnected her answering machine. The first time I discovered this, it was like stepping back into the day. I�d call and the phone would just ring, and ring, and ring, I�d realize she wasn�t home, and I�d hang up and try again later. I thought it was a bold move in this day and age of voracious communication. I admired her for such strength and individuality. Score one for Dearest Sister. However, she eventually connected it back up as she does have a teenage son and all. But, she left the manufacturer�s default greeting on it so you really didn�t know whose number you�d reached. Score two for Dearest Sister. So I called her home number and this is what I heard from the answering machine: �This is the home of Happy Henderson.� There was more on the message but I wasn�t listening. I was thinking about how the voice sounded exactly like my 14-year-old nephew but his name isn�t even remotely close to �Happy Henderson�. And, you know I can�t dial accurately most of the time, so I didn�t know if I had dialed the right number or not. So, I just hung up and tried her at work. She was at work and I told her what I needed to. We had a short conversation and prepared to ring off. Here�s that. (CI:) Oh, by the way, do you have some new funky message on your answering machine at home? (DS:) (Busting up.) Does it say you�ve reached the home of Happy Henderson? (CI:) Matter of fact it does, although the voice sounds exactly like your son. (DS:) It is my son. For the past six months or so he�s been telling people to call him Happy Henderson and he asked me if he could change the message on the machine. I told him he could because all the calls are for him anyway. You know all his little buddies and all the little girls are calling him all the time so I don�t even answer the phone anymore. I don�t really care what the machine says so I told him he could do whatever he wanted with it. (CI:) Where�d he get �Happy Henderson�? (DS:) I have no idea. Let me just reiterate that �Happy Henderson� is not even remotely close to his real name in any way, shape or form. Dearest Sister and I think it�s funnier than fuck though. Score three for Dearest Sister. your thoughts? seed flower