I've
gotten some e-mail addressed to me but that doesn't belong to me. Someone
assumed that one of her relatives (her mother, I think) had a Web-mail address
that happens to be one of my addresses. From there, that address has been
entered into a few other people's systems so I get even more mail. I've enjoyed
photos of possible vacation-cabin rentals (I would have gone with the one with
the pool), news about work at a big-time, college-sports Web site, a few
personal messages telling the intended recipients to just trust God for various
reasons, mildly amusing cell-phone videos produced at work, pictures of a weekend in
an upscale community that's fequently featured in gossip columns, even the complete
credit card details of a stranger (a third party who has no idea that I now
have everything I need to pay for that liposuction). Oh, and her Facebook
password (she looks very nice, but her boyfriend is cuter than she is).
Today
was a message kindly and gently telling the recipient to quit being a clingy,
whiny mother and let her daughter (the one with the cute boyfriend and weekends
in the upscale community that is geographically far away from said mother) live
her life. And to trust God, of course. I'm sure the daughter would be pleased
to know that her aunt (that's what I've gleaned from context - I'm in the
process of constructing a Venn diagram so I can sort out the relationships) is
taking her side.
Because
I don't check this address often, there were about ten misdirected messages the
first time I noticed. I wrote to the sender to inform her of the mistake and
she apologized (no need to, though - I just wanted her to know that her
messages weren't getting to where she thought she'd sent them). A few months
later I started getting the messages again. I've done my part, haven't I? I'm
not under any obligation to not read the message, right? I won't be buying European
headers for my car off eBay.de with the credit card of a man I don't know. I won't take
credit for the ideas e-mailed back and forth about the upcoming NCAA
fencing-coverage campaign. I'll never meet these people. But I want to write
back that, yes, you are so right: If your sister doesn't scare up a life of her
own, your niece will forever resent her mother. Or write to the guy and assure
him that I haven't stolen his identity, even though I could. But then they'll
all know that they are using the wrong address. And I'll have to get my
vicarious kicks somewhere else.
Recent Comments