Clever gecko makes ‘bazillion’ prank calls from animal hospital
Here’s a story that might make you rethink those annoying phone calls where you pick up and no one answers. Did you ever think that maybe it’s not a computer or robocall at all? One veterinarian learned that this was the case after receiving a series of “prank phone calls” from her own office. She soon discovered that the culprit was someone (or someTHING) she never expected!
Dr. Claire Simeone is the director of the Marine Mammal Center’s Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian Monk Seal Hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawai. On Thursday, Oct. 4, the doctor stepped away from work to get some lunch. In a hilarious Twitter thread, Simeone shared how the whole mystery began to unfold.
So yesterday I started getting calls at our hospital, #KeKaiOla @TMMC. I was getting lunch, so I thought maybe someone had a seal-related question. I picked up. Silence. pic.twitter.com/yX6aziwoHz
— Dr. Claire Simeone (@Claire_Simeone) October 5, 2018
Sure, we’ve all received those frustrating silent calls, but from our own place of employment? It’s easy to understand the good doctor’s confusion.
Now imagine that happening nine more times over the next 15 minutes. After that flurry of phone calls, Simeone decided there must be some sort of emergency back at the hospital and rushed back to work.
More calls. NINE calls in 15 minutes. I start to panic a bit, and drive back to the hospital. Seal emergency? I am on it. pic.twitter.com/qtjc2ZK68d
— Dr. Claire Simeone (@Claire_Simeone) October 5, 2018
She made it back to work to find everything under control and no one making phone calls. Suddenly, the phone rang again. It was coming from inside the hospital.
At the same time, other people were calling into the hospital, wondering why they were getting crank calls from them. The doctor and her staff wondered what the heck was going on.
I arrive. All is calm. Did anyone call me? No one did. I get another call. It’s coming from INSIDE the hospital. So I call @HawaiianTel to check it out. Phone on the fritz? Meanwhile, several other people call the hospital, asking WHY WE ARE CALLING THEM INCESSANTLY? pic.twitter.com/r59Hoxgk1z
— Dr. Claire Simeone (@Claire_Simeone) October 5, 2018
One logical possibility was a technical glitch. So Simeone and her staff reached out to their phone provider, who seemed just as confused, but confirmed that “a bazillion calls are coming from one line” in the office. Obviously, it wasn’t the phone the vet was using. The search was on to find the faulty phone line.
Very nice @HawaiianTel man says it might be an issue with one of our phones, or some of the software. He confirms that, yes, a bazillion calls are coming from one line. But I look at our office line. It’s not that one. He asks me to look around to find the problem line. pic.twitter.com/QcrMjVCG4X
— Dr. Claire Simeone (@Claire_Simeone) October 5, 2018
As Simeone scoped out each room in the hospital to find the offending (and offensive) phone, she received another call as she reached the laboratory. At last, the phone in question was revealed! And the prankster was completely unexpected.
THERE IS A GECKO SITTING ON THE TOUCHSCREEN OF THE PHONE, MAKING CALLS WITH HIS TINY GECKO FEET!!! This gecko has called me 15 times, and everyone in our recent call list. *Actual photo of telemarketer* @TMMC @GEICO @HawaiianTel pic.twitter.com/USyKeOiDbE
— Dr. Claire Simeone (@Claire_Simeone) October 5, 2018
The adventurous (and adorable) little gecko managed to use his little feet to activate the phone’s touchscreen and repeatedly call the animal hospital’s contact list!
The little guy — dubbed the “telemarketer” by Simeone — may have caused some frayed nerves, but in the end, managed to become a worldwide news and viral sensation. Not a bad day’s work for the little reptile, if you ask us.