Let's play hunt the telephone!

Last night, my wife was out at a rodeo meeting (she volunteers at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo) when the phone rang.

Every time I'm home alone and the phone rings it's the same routine. My first reaction is to freeze. I don't know why but a ringing phone seems to spark confusion in my mind.

After a few seconds, I decide I should answer it so I run to the kitchen where the receiver is plugged in, only to realise that as we have a cordless home phone, that is actually the last place it will be. My wife likes to wonder around the house when she's talking on the phone.

Remembering we have another receiver in the bedroom, this is my next destination, only with the same result, no handset.

By this time, the answerphone has kicked in and it's too late. It's usually at this point I find the handset, notice the battery is dead and walk back to the kitchen or bedroom to charge it.

Only last night was even more fun. Both handsets were completely dead, so when the phone rang a second time shortly after, even though I knew the location of both handsets, there was actually no way of answering the bloody phone!

When my wife got home later that night, the first thing she said was, I rang but you didn't answer!

You couldn't make it up!