I was working the ward when I answered a call from a patient’s son. He asked how his mum was doing, then quickly said he was losing reception and asked if I could call him back in a few minutes. I didn’t think much of it—just another routine update. When I called back, a woman answered. I introduced myself and asked for him. She passed the phone over, and I gave him a quick rundown. He thanked me and hung up. It was all very normal—until the next day, when I saw him in person and learned what had really happened.
He thanked me again, but this time with a grin. Apparently, my callback had saved him from the worst date of his life. The woman he’d been out with wouldn’t stop ranting about her ex-boyfriends, their flaws, and how much she hated men. He’d excused himself to the bathroom and called the hospital, knowing he’d get a callback. Then he left his phone on the table and went to the bar. When I called, she answered. He told her his mum had been in a car accident and he had to leave immediately. His mum was actually in for a routine tonsillectomy.
I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so elaborate, so perfectly timed. I had unknowingly played a role in his great escape. He said he felt bad lying, but desperate times call for creative exits. I told him I’d heard worse excuses, and at least he used one that involved genuine concern. He said he owed me a drink for helping him dodge a two-hour monologue about emotional baggage. I told him I’d settle for a good story—and he’d already delivered.
It made me think about how often we play small parts in other people’s dramas without even knowing. A simple callback became the turning point in someone’s evening. I didn’t know I was interrupting a date, let alone rescuing someone from it. It’s funny how life works like that—quiet moments in our day becoming someone else’s escape route. I’ll never look at a dropped call the same way again.
He wasn’t proud of the lie, but he was grateful for the exit. And honestly, I admired the creativity. It wasn’t malicious, just strategic. He didn’t ghost her—he staged a believable emergency and bowed out gracefully. Well, sort of. I’m not sure how she felt about it, but I imagine she had plenty to say about men afterward. Still, I hope she finds someone who listens. And I hope he finds someone who doesn’t treat a date like a therapy session.
So yes, I called a man back about his mother’s routine surgery—and accidentally helped him escape a date from hell. Sometimes, the hospital isn’t just a place for healing. Sometimes, it’s the perfect excuse. And sometimes, a phone call is more than a phone call. It’s a lifeline, a loophole, and a story worth retelling.
