Hunt on for lovestruck soldier who rang wrong number to propose

Just came across this and thought it was a pretty sweet article - really, really hope they figure out who he is and that he makes it OK to propose properly:

The hunt is on for a mystery soldier who rang home to propose to his girlfriend and left a message when she did not answer but had dialled the wrong house.
The soldier will be unable to correct his mistake - even if he's aware of it - until next month when he gets another turn to use the phone.
However, the lovestuck man, who is thought to be in Afghanistan, is not due to return before April.
Little is known about the mystery man but the 90-second message, which was last Thursday, disclosed his girlfriend's name is Samantha, that she is expecting a baby, that he has a Sunderland accent and that he recently lost a close comrade to a roadside bomb.
Instead of its correct destination, the message arrived with Diane Potts, 44, a mother-of-three who lives in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
Mrs Potts, an alternative therapist, said: "I just thought: "Bless him." He sounded so young. I felt as though I should not be listening, because the message was obviously meant for someone else. His girlfriend must be having a baby and I really hope she gets in touch."

You can hear the message here

FreudianSlippers

I hope he finds her and she says no.

OisinT

OisinT wrote: »

I hope he finds her and she says no.

It would be quite funny if the 44 year old says yes though!

hondasam

you would think he could get the phone number right.

mikemac

You don't open somebody else's post and you don't run to the media with a voicemail that wasn't meant for you

Classless

I felt as though I should not be listening

So go to the papers instead?

FreudianSlippers

hondasam wrote: »

you would think he could get the phone number right.

He is in the army, we're sure that the intelligence level is not exactly up there...









ouch, unnecessarily mean to army people...

the_syco

hondasam wrote: »

you would think he could get the phone number right.

You're saying you never dialled 87 instead of 78?

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

He is in the army, we're sure that the intelligence level is not exactly up there...









ouch, unnecessarily mean to army people...

yes you are. He is very young id say. Samantha might have had a lucky escape.:pac:

FreudianSlippers

Samantha is up the duff and he is NOT the father. :eek:

hondasam

the_syco wrote: »

You're saying you never dialled 87 instead of 78?

NO I'm super intelligent.

feelingstressed

feelingstressed wrote: »

You don't open somebody else's post and you don't run to the media with a voicemail that wasn't meant for you

Classless

Eh, well if she needs to find this Samantha it seems the right thing to do, to me

FreudianSlippers

the_syco wrote: »

You're saying you never dialled 87 instead of 78?

I once suggested a 96 instead of the 69... we ended up just sleeping back to back and tops to tails.

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

Samantha is up the duff and he is NOT the father. :eek:

Samantha is probably living with his best friend :pac:

xE

Moron.

His friend got killed in an explosion and he probably realizes the fact that he could die at any moment too, so probably dialed the number in haste to give her that message, thus dialing the wrong number. I hope Samantha gets the message.

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

I once suggested a 96 instead of the 69... we ended up just sleeping back to back and tops to tails.

Never get those numbers mixed up :pac:

FreudianSlippers

So... Sam, baby. You're 6 months pregnant yeah? And I've been in Afghanistan for 8 months...

seafood dunleavy

Would be funny if he started talking dirty down the phone.

prinz

I think they need to track down the soldier first. Poor lad is probably out in Aghanistan sweating for the next month thinking she got the message and just isn't arse answering.

xE

Deleted User wrote: »

His friend got killed in an explosion and he probably realizes the fact that he could die at any moment too, so probably dialed the number in haste to give her that message, thus dialing the wrong number. I hope Samantha gets the message.

Oh yeah, sure. How come we don't hear about any Taliban romances? Insurgents have feelings too, y'know

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

So... Sam, baby. You're 6 months pregnant yeah? And I've been in Afghanistan for 8 months...

hang on here OisinT, I'm not pregnant and you are not in Afghanistan

FreudianSlippers

xE wrote: »

Oh yeah, sure. How come we don't hear about any Taliban romances? Insurgents have feelings too, y'know

Of course, because of the burqa many men propose to the wrong women in person.

xE

xE wrote: »

Oh yeah, sure. How come we don't hear about any Taliban romances? Insurgents have feelings too, y'know

There probably are, but knowing the UK/US media, the message would be translated as "kill all infidels!" rather than "I love you".

FreudianSlippers

hondasam wrote: »

hang on here OisinT, I'm not pregnant and you are not in Afghanistan

I'm pregnant and you're in Afghanistan?

xE

OisinT wrote: »

Of course, because of the burqa many men propose to the wrong women in person.

Yeah, lucky they don't need their "briefs" to divorce over there!

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

I'm pregnant and you're in Afghanistan?

I will try get the number right when I phone you.:pac:

FreudianSlippers

hondasam wrote: »

I will try get the number right when I phone you.:pac:

do.

pickarooney

What's the rush? It's not like she can call him back and it's not as though it makes any difference either way, given the situation.

Mongarra

Thanks all. That is the funniest (IMO) thread since I joined.

RichieC

once a month to use a bloody phone in this day and age? could he not sneak a burner over with him?

hondasam

Mongarra wrote: »

Thanks all. That is the funniest (IMO) thread since I joined.

you think so ?

Are you laughing at us or the soldier :pac:

Blazer

OisinT wrote: »

I hope he finds her and she says no.

awww...someone has issues now begone to PI with you

bonerm

No wonder they couldn't find Bin Laden.

PAULWATSON

This is part of an army propaganda campaign.

digme

these army people are not the brightest

tk123

OisinT wrote: »

I hope he finds her and she says no.

Or...he realizes oh sh!t my mate getting exploded at the roadside made me act a bit stupid the other day why the f@@k did I propose to yer one!?...then they find her and pass on the message and she wants to get hitched! Akward!! :pac:

TeddyTedson

Why are people taking this so seriously? It's probably a prank phone call.

It's like something straight out of coronation street

Mongarra

Laughing at your various comments. Don't know whether to laugh at him or cry for him, but he has a good excuse if he wants to back out - Post traumatic stress.

seamus

Jaysus, there are much easier ways of going about this. The guy has a Sunderland accent and she's in Tyne and Wear, so we can assume he got the area code right.

That means that the number has seven digits and is most likely identical to hers except for a digit.

First thing it to try the transpositions. So if the number is
1234567, you try

2134567
1324567
1243567
1235467
1234657
1234576

Six numbers and you'll probably get it right.

If that doesn't work, just make your way through each number, trying a different number. So you start with

0234567
2234567
3234567

And so forth. Maximum number of calls you'll have to make is 70. Most of them will be invalid, and all you have to do is ask, "Is that Samantha? No, sorry wrong number". You'd be done in less than an hour.
She could also speed this up by choosing the numbers closest on the keypad. So if there's a 5 in the number, you try 4 and 6 before the rest.

****ing alternative therapists. No logical brain at all.

Of course he might have gotten two or three numbers wrong, but that's just sloppy.

hondasam

Mongarra wrote: »

Laughing at your various comments. Don't know whether to laugh at him or cry for him, but he has a good excuse if he wants to back out - Post traumatic stress.

To late to back out now she is pregnant :pac:

seamus

seamus wrote: »

And so forth. Maximum number of calls you'll have to make is 70. Most of them will be invalid, and all you have to do is ask, "Is that Samantha? No, sorry wrong number". You'd be done in less than an hour.
She could also speed this up by choosing the numbers closest on the keypad. So if there's a 5 in the number, you try 4 and 6 before the rest.

****ing alternative therapists. No logical brain at all.

Of course he might have gotten two or three numbers wrong, but that's just sloppy.

10 choose 7 is 120...
pain in the backside to do that one

seamus

bluewolf wrote: »

10 choose 7 is 120...
pain in the backside to do that one

Actually 10 choose 7 when the order is important is 10^7 (10,000,000) possible numbers. 10 choose 7 is only 120 when the order is unimportant.

We're assuming that he only got one number wrong, so she only has to try each of the 10 numbers in each position once, so 7*10 times.

PAULWATSON

digme wrote: »

these army people are not the brightest

:rolleyes: looks like they are bright enough to fool you.

jester77

ah now, it can't be that hard to track down, or is army intelligence not as intelligent as they make out? How many lads from Sunderland currently based in Afghanistan have a pregnant gf and made a call around whatever time and whatever date that call was made.

Jessica Fletcher to the rescue...

seamus

seamus wrote: »

Actually 10 choose 7 when the order is important is 10^7 (10,000,000) possible numbers. 10 choose 7 is only 120 when the order is unimportant.

We're assuming that he only got one number wrong, so she only has to try each of the 10 numbers in each position once, so 7*10 times.

You're right yeah
Don't worry, I'm having my coffee now

FreudianSlippers

hondasam wrote: »

To late to back out now she is pregnant :pac:

... in more ways than one! :eek:

clived2

RichieC wrote: »

once a month to use a bloody phone in this day and age? could he not sneak a burner over with him?

Oh Indeed

LondonIrish90

jester77 wrote: »

ah now, it can't be that hard to track down, or is army intelligence not as intelligent as they make out? How many lads from Sunderland currently based in Afghanistan have a pregnant gf and made a call around whatever time and whatever date that call was made.

Jessica Fletcher to the rescue...

Yes, I'm sure the Intelligence Corps would be more than willing to put the hunt for Taliban commanders and IED makers on hold to find a pregnant teenager from Sunderland (a needle in a stack of needles i'm sure).

pickarooney

seamus wrote: »

Actually 10 choose 7 when the order is important is 10^7 (10,000,000) possible numbers. 10 choose 7 is only 120 when the order is unimportant.

We're assuming that he only got one number wrong, so she only has to try each of the 10 numbers in each position once, so 7*10 times.

There should be only 6 unknown digits with a correct (01915*) prefix. The 6th digit is one of 1,2,4,6 so 55 tries max I make it as she can rule out her own number.

*Actually 01914 if the girlfriend is in Gateshead.

hondasam

OisinT wrote: »

... in more ways than one! :eek:

I knew you would get it

Crann na Beatha

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