The Honest Mistake and Eerie Coincidence

One day in July the telephone rang and I was told to confirm information on a mortgage application for the purchase of a home. I had no idea this was going on and asked how my name and number wound up on the application. They refused to tell me how my name got on the application and said that I signed the document. I said my name was Edward. They said my name was Edgar. After a few minutes back and forth, the befuddled mortgage employee left me alone and I checked my finances. Nothing appeared to have changed, so I felt sort of safe.

Now Today:

Voicemail:"His this is ... from American Title ... Confirming the meeting for closing ... The property on ... please call us ..."

The phantom mortgage became the phantom closing. I was to confirm that my client was going to be present for the closing of a house somewhere in the north side of the city. I was on the verge of my first sale without having done any work, been anywhere near the house, or even having worked in residential real estate.

E: "...so yeah, I'm calling about this transaction that's supposed to close and...well, I'm not a party to it and think there's been a misunderstanding."
Other End: "So, who is this and who do you work for?"
E: "My name is Edward __ and I work for ____."
Other End: ".....could you spell that last name?"
E: "L _"
Other End: "That's it? Just L_?...What's your telephone number?
E: "xxx-xxx-19xx."
Other End: "Oh, we're looking for an Edgar L___, L-O-H-_ at xxx-xxx-18xx."
E: "Yeah, I'm xxx-xxx-19xx."

So that's it. One missed number and they call a person with basically the same name. I relayed the story to the people working around me. Then the telephone rang again.

E: "Hi, this is Ed."
Other End: "Hi Ed, I'm calling from American Title, following up on my earlier call to confirm a closing."
E: "Yeah, you got the wrong guy. This is xxx-19xx...I just got off the phone with your company."
Other End: "Oh...hahaaha sorry about that, I'll make a note of it..."

Seven million people in the area...similar sounding names attached to similar sounding numbers.

Bonus story: Before I moved out of Madison, WI I worked at a restaurant that employed a bartender named "Eddie Lon_." Personal calls to the restaurant routinely got mixed up. The name game is going to follow me around for the rest of my life.

. . [~] . 0 (Grumble) Grumbles .