I Think I'm Paranoid...

...or at least some people are. As part of my job, I occasionally have to ask for telephone numbers and asking for telephone numbers is obviously like asking for your soul sometimes.

My favorite example of this was when I had to ask an old man for his number. He didn't write it down on the paper and I assumed he may have forgotten to write it. So I asked, and he got this look on his face like I just asked him if I could kill him. He started on this paranoid whispered rant which ended in him asking, "Do you really need my phone number?" My answer was yes. It's for records in case the pass got lost or they needed more information. Anyway, he eventually gave in, but he beckoned me to move closer and whispered his phone number in my ear. I assume that he is a past secret agent who broke some law and has been on the run for years, struggling to hide his identity. I hope I didn't condemn him to death by strange accident, but it would be the most interesting thing I have ever inadvertently caused if it happened. There was lady who curtly told me, "I don't give my phone number out" and proceeded to walk away. I was forced to do without it, and also to give her pass to her less paranoid friend.

So I'm wondering... what do people think that we're going to do with their phone numbers? Prank call them? Steal their identity? Tell the government that they're communists? I'm not sure, but obviously they're pretty paranoid about giving out numbers. Now in a previous job, I had to ask people if their salary was above or below a number. I can see the logic in being hesitant to distribute that information (though I think it's silly nonetheless.) A salary is a way to determine your place in society and is something you have the potential to be judged by. But... how does that even apply to phone numbers? Phone numbers that never leave our records? Okay, someone might hack into them, but most likely they aren't going after phone numbers, they're going after money or control of the system or something like that.

I just find it ridiculous how people can be so worried to give out information- expect for the secret agent guy. His story (that I made up for him) makes total sense. I feel bad that he's lying in a gutter somewhere now and dead and killed by the government.