The Mother Of All Screams

(I’m new, on my first week, training with a manager. So far, everything has been going very well. The phone rings and my manager gestures me to pick it up.)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Motel]. This is [My Name]. How may I assist you?”

Old Lady: “Gimme [Manager].”

Manager: *mouths* “Who is it?”

Me: “Who is it?”

(The old lady pauses, then angrily screams Tarzan-like. It sounds like ‘EHAHHHEHHHHHAHHHH!’. It is earsplitting, and I have to hold the phone away.)

Me: “I’m… sorry? I don’t understand—”

(The old lady continues screaming it without taking a breath. Worried that she might be having a seizure, I look at my manager. She takes the phone and says hello but the old lady hangs up.)

Me: *bug-eyed* “Wuh, what was that all about?”

Manager: *matter-of -factly* “My mom. She hates when you ask who she is. You should have said that I asked who it is.” *ignores my shock*

Me: “Riiight…”

(Thankfully the old lady didn’t call back ever again. I switched jobs soon after, and the same thing happened at my new job! Wow.)