I came home to several messages left for someone named Jason. I was home at lunch today, and intercepted yet another, picked up the phone and said "There's no Jason here." This guy was not going to take no for an answer. "Maybe he's your son?" I told him I didn't even know any Jasons, which is true. Isn't it weird that he has the same phone number and last name? he says. I said my number is listed with just the initial J. and my last name, and someone could be using it fraudulently. He read me some street address and I said "not even close." He repeated about whether I was sure I didn't know Jason, said "guy about 30?" etc. I repeated that it looked like someone must be using my number fraudulently. "But why would he put it on an application, then?" I should have asked "Application for what?" but I wasn't thinking on my feet. I reiterated that there was no Jason here, and I had no idea who he was, and the guy thanked me and hung up.
Seemed like a fishing expedition. I checked his return area code, and it's Fort Lauderdale. Hmm, wonder if someone skipped out on payment, and it's a collection agency or something. Maybe he's the son of Jeff. I used to get both calls and mail for some folks looking for Jeff, 20 years ago.
Either that, or maybe the much-wanted-by-the-law Mark Frates has gotten my last name, and has a new angle. But then, if it were, he'd be using my address. After all, the neighbor even caught him in my backyard once, when I wasn't home, recognised him as the neer-do-well son of the former owner, and told him to get on out of there.
cynical