“Sometimes wrong numbers are the right numbers.” ~ Cecelia Ahern, The Time of My Life
Late yesterday afternoon I tried to call my sister. My new drugs are kicking in and so my eyes were all twitchy and I was having problems seeing. Somehow I put in one wrong digit.
“Hello?” An older woman’s voice, surprised, answered the phone.
“Mum?” I said. I’d been expecting Simone. What was Mum doing there? Was it even Mum? It had to be Mum… Trying to place the voice against the background noise of a blaring television I tried again. “Hello? Mum, is that you? Can you hear me? It’s Nicole. “
There was a pause, and then the woman spoke again. “That’s a beautiful name, darling. Nicole did you say? That’s French isn’t it?”
By now I had worked out that this definitely wasn’t my mum on the other end of the line, but something made me keep talking.
“Yes,” I said.
“Well, you can call me Mum, sweetheart,” the old lady said. “I’d like that very much.” She asked where I was calling from, and I explained that I was here in Brisbane for a few days but that I normally lived on a farm.
Well, ‘Mum’ was away! Telling me all about her days growing up on a farm on the outskirts of Toowoomba, and then later the animals she kept at her little house in Brisbane after she married and when her children were growing up. She’d had ducks and chickens and a lovely big vegetable garden, right here at Mount Gravatt. Of course as she’d gotten older she’d had to let all that go…
“Ducks,” I said. “Good eggs, duck eggs. Great for cooking.”
“Oh, do you like to cook?” she asked.
We chatted for a few more minutes, and she told me about her son who had gone off to fight in Vietnam and who came home and tore the chook shed down after his father’s home brew kit, kept in a lean-to beside the shed, had exploded one hot summer’s night and scared the life out of them all.
Eventually I excused myself and hung up so that I could call my sister.
Just before I went to bed last night my phone rang. It was still early so I answered it, thinking the number was my sister’s.
“Hello, Nicky,” the voice said, “it’s Mum again. I have my own Mum’s recipe here for Duck Egg Sponge. I knew I had it somewhere, and I thought you’d like to have it. She cleaned up at the Show every year with that sponge. You can probably get duck eggs down at your farm so maybe you could give it a go.”
I carefully wrote down the ingredients and instructions.
“Are you okay, love?” she asked as I began coughing violently – a side effect of the evening’s drugs.
I waited for a wave of nausea to pass and then briefly explained that I was unwell and starting on new medications which made me feel sick.
“How about I call you in a day or so?” Mum asked. “Just to see how you’re getting along. Would that be okay? You know I’ll worry about you if I don’t. And don’t you go making that sponge cake yet. You should really be having a shower and hopping into bed. Go on then, off you go. Sleep well, Nicky love. And I’ll ask Saint Peregrine to watch over you. And Raphael too. He’s my favourite Angel. I’m a lapsed Catholic dear, but I’m still very fond of some of their Saints and Angels.”
I just love the synchronicities and everyday miracles of this life, don’t you?
We are, all of us, so very much loved, and connected in magical ways we’ll never quite understand while we’re down here living out our days.
God couldn’t be everywhere so he gave us mums. Common on Nicole God has sent a new mum to u. God loves you.
Just beautiful. What magic in this world <3
Outstanding post! I love this story. What a wonderful gift you’ve been given. The universe just blows my mind with these connections it delivers. Enjoy this new, nurturing relationship!
How totally charming…love, love, love
That made me laugh out loud – what a fabulous story 🙂 I love when those synchronicities happen!
I phoned a wrong number once and it turned out the right number . My husband had a joinery business with a partner . After twenty years he became stressed and restless and walked out of the business after putting years into it and never really gave his partner an explanation why . I phoned his partner by mistake and was really shocked when he answered it . I couldn’t tell him the real reasons why my husband broke up the partnership because only he knew but we had a lovely chat which helped us to move on .
Your story was so lovely I truly hope you keep in touch with that lady she sound like an angel …there isn’t such a thing as a wrong number just a different one to what you were expecting .
Cherryx
oooohhh, we all have a Duck Egg Sponge receipe to look forward too.
What a beautiful story. Imagine “mum” saying a prayer for you Nicole and perhaps smiling at how you both “met” . Be well as you can be and much better than you expected….much love.. x
We all need an extra “mum” particularly if we no longer have our own mum. How fortunate for you to have made this connection. The new friend probably put the phone down feeling particularly blessed to have made contact with you.
Hope your medications don’t take too much out of you.
WOW….
As soon as I read the word St Peregrine, tears came to my eyes making it difficult to read the rest. I think ‘mum’ must be an angel. Life is a miracle If we allow ourselves to open up and see xox
This is what life is all about. Made a tear come. I used to be a district nurse around Murbah area and having a yarn with the old wise ones was the best medicine, for me and them. I used to look forward to seeing my patients every day….Quite a few cups of tea and home made goods too! Beautiful.
Beautiful, Nicole. Thank you for sharing. Many hugs for this next part of your journey. xo
Love this 🙂
How nice to have a new mum. 🙂
Great story
And yummy looking cake!
I’m truly blown away. I had a call once on my mobile from a complete stranger .it began “Good morning you beautiful lady! I looked across the table at my husband, probably the only man to say that in the past 30 years . Obviously not him, deep in ceareal and crossword. Good Morning, I replied.I didnt expect to hear from you this morning.Puzzled silence..Is that you? I reply “No , Iam afraid not, though I rather wish it was. .He laughed and proceeded to chat for a few minutes. I wished him good luck on finding the right gourgeous lady. My husband looked up after the call..who was that? Wrong number..
Synchronicity. How wonderful.
Oh I just got goosebumps all over my body reading your story about your new “Mum”. So tied in with your last post about the St. Peregrine medal that slipped out of your clothes. How delightful and this serves as further proof of how we are all guided, guarded and protected AND connected in spirit. much love for you. so glad that you made a new friend!
What a wonderful experience ..and now you have a new friend and most likely you have sparked up her life she sounds like a nice lady and good friend material. Good going.
Synchronicity – I love it. There was a small moment of just that when I read your opening quote this morning as I have chosen a quote from Cecilia Ahern for my books page. 🙂 Take care Nicole and do just as your ‘mum’ says.
So beautiful Nicole xxxxx
my like keeps erasing!