Real lives
When I sent a text to a wrong number, I had no idea it would change my life.
Tapping away on my mobile, I opened up a group text.
I loved an inspirational quote and would send them regularly to my friends.
Value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others, I typed.
But before I could send it, the phone rang at the photography studio where I worked.
Later, when I got home and started making dinner, I remembered to send the quote from earlier.
And a few minutes later, my phone beeped with a message. Amen to that, who is this? I read.
The number was coming up in my contacts as one of my sister’s mates, who I used to be friendly with.
But when I sent a text saying who I was, the reply surprised me.
No, we’ve never met. My name’s Isaiah. I loved the quote you sent though, it’s really uplifting.
The mystery man explained that he’d just got a new phone. I knew my old pal had moved across the country, so figured her old number had been transferred to him.
How funny, I thought, assuming that would be the end of it.
But the next day, Isaiah called me.
Too nervous to answer, I let it go to answerphone.
‘I really appreciated your text yesterday, would be great to chat some time,’ he said.
He sounded gentle and honest.
As I listened, I realised my nerves had turned into butterflies.
‘Brenda, you hardly know him!’ I laughed to myself.
But I couldn’t deny it — I was intrigued!
I’d been single for a year, after going through a heartbreaking split with my ex, who dumped me over the phone. I was petrified of getting hurt again.
Only, Isaiah sounded kind, and on a whim, I called him back.
‘I’m so glad you called,’ he gushed.
We spoke for 10 minutes and, surprisingly, the conversation flowed. We discovered we had lots in common, like our faith, and our love of family.
Though he didn’t live near me, I found out he wasn’t too far from my mum and younger sister Roxy.
‘I live near my other sister, but I’m really close to all my family,’ I explained.
Then I had a crazy idea, and without thinking, I blurted: ‘Maybe we could meet up next time I visit them.’
‘I’d love that,’ he said, keenly. After swapping Facebook details, I hopped online to see what he looked like. At 28, he was six years older than me.
Plus, he wasn’t my usual type — I’m Mexican, and usually opted for tanned men with curly dark hair who could speak Spanish.
Isaiah was pale, had a shaved head and didn’t speak a word of Spanish! But I couldn’t deny he was hot stuff! More than anything, I loved his perso
