THE LATE NIGHT PHONE CALL

The phone woke me up from a deep sleep.
I tried to focus on the clock,
large red digits read; 3:00 A.M.
Who could be calling at this hour?

There’s my son, out in the desert
he’s got three kids and wife,
maybe it is one of them?

Or maybe my youngest son
who lives with his family
twenty minutes off the freeway.
They’re usually not out at night
could the kids be sick?
Is there an emergency?

What about my grand niece
could something have gone wrong?

I finally clear my head
enough to pick up the receiver
and say, “Hello,” in my gravely voice
I hear nothing but quiet sobbing.

Again I say, “Hello.”
This time clearer and louder
…nothing… and then a dial tone.
I look for caller ID
but no number listed
it's blocked, the caller unknown.
I try * 69 but the line is busy.

I dial the number for my oldest son
“Everybody’s fine. No worries.”

The younger one is okay too
but, why he wonders
did I called so early?

Finally the niece assures
me, the call didn’t come from her.

I guess it was a wrong number
but who was crying
at 3:00 this morning?