Gullible used to be a major habit, mutating into virtue and hence into spotty disrepair. A few years ago my DSL connectors----not sure but forgetfulness trickling into the aforementioned void---which cancel the internet noise to the phone were wearing out so I stopped into my provider and knew I'd be pressed to leave with more than a pack of wires. Heavens, you need a new plan! Well, it did come with caller ID.

Bad boy here often lets voice mail do the job, especially when unusual numbers come up. Sometimes they turn out to be a music related call or health provider but I can look up many which turn out to be commented upon on "nuisance call" sites: HVAC, carpet cleaning, surveys, even trouble with the bogus IRS are among the categories.

A few times in the past month I have received the number "3118". No area code, no prefix---and nothing left. Sometimes ID truncates for "the obvious" so is this my area code and prefix implied? Was my separate land line, as Mr. Luddite here presented a familiar example to the sales person, being sent an aborted text as my barber, who has my same calendar birthday, tried to do last year?

As the blues cliche among the top five goes, I woke up one morning and also remembered something about 3118. A bus service known as "Dash" runs by here with what can safely be called minis. I have used it but it always is fun to call the transit number, what with the phone service now rendering 213-numbers as no toll problem, and see how many minutes away, whatever algorhythms they use, the next bus will be.

3118, as I threw my legs over the bed side (got them back, not to worry) turns out to be the number of a stop across the street. So what is going on here?

The bus is coming, says the expression of doom. If it actually arrives I will have to see what is on its display.