Still Here...

My wife and I were away from home this past weekend. I guess you could call it a long weekend. We were gone Friday through Tuesday. Anyway, we touched down at an airport two hours away from home right on time, found our car in the long-term parking lot, and began the two-hour drive home. Ninety minutes into the drive my phone rang. It was a pastor friend of mine. He is a friend, but he's not one of the friends I talk to on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. So when his name and number popped up on my caller ID, I wondered what was going on. I answered the phone by calling his name and adding something like, "How's it going?" He replied, "Hello, Jonathan. Have you received any phone calls about your health?"

Now I must admit, that seemed a strange question.

"No I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it appears that a radio station has reported the murder of someone named Jonathan Yarboro. One of our college students heard it, knew who you were (Do you like the past tense there?), called me, and asked if I knew anything about it. I told him I didn't but that I would call you and see if I could find anything out."

I laughed. "No, I have not been murdered. Everything is fine."

He replied, "Well, I'm glad to hear your voice."

My response: "I'm glad you're hearing my voice too!"

At first, it was funny. Then it got a little creepy. Then I wondered what would have happened had I not answered my phone when my friend called. Would he have left a message? What would it have said?

Oh well. I guess that's one of those questions I'll never know for sure. But it could be fun to comment on here? What do you think is the proper etiquette for leaving a message for someone you think could possibly be dead?