Oh, Google!

Google, such a wonderful technological invention. If you need answers to a question, more times than not, Google will have the answer you need, or at least can lead you in the right direction of finding the answer you’re looking for. From directions, addresses, phones numbers, and health inquires, to random questions, shopping and other particular searches, Google is the source of so much knowledge. Google is one of my most used daily go-to sources, and of all the things I have Googled in my 27 years of being on this earth, never have I ever Googled the phone number to the White House until the year 2020.
During the year 2020, a lot of crazy scenarios have occurred. Examples other than Covid-19: The Tiger King, Carol Baskin appearing on Dancing with the Stars, Georgia’s domination over Alabama until halftime, President Donald Trump faced impeachment, talk of a rigged election that continues to surface, the toilet paper, bleach and sanitizing shortage, Kim Jung Un died and came back, murder bees, and stimulus checks. That’s only some of the odd situations we faced in 2020. This short list does not include all the crazy happenings to have occurred last year, such as the reason for me Googling the number to the White House. So, let me explain…
During the pandemic when schools were closed, I, a working mom, dropped the kiddos off with their sitter and went to work as usual. “Normal day,” I thought. However, children always seem to push the limit of the term “normal day.” On this particular day, my boys were the ones to make me redefine the definition of normal and retract that it was a normal day just as surely as I could hit the clock and retrieve them from the sitter.
Upon picking up my two sons and daughter that day, all three kiddos approached me as they normally would – smiles, hugs and “hey mama.” I received this normal welcoming from them as they walked out to the car and I chatted with the sitter on the front porch. When speaking to the sitter, she advised that the boys had been prank calling people. She didn’t know who, but she took care of the problem and wanted to let me know what had occurred that day.
“So, boys, I’ve heard the two of you were making prank calls today,” I questioned them after getting into the car.
With large eyes, they looked at each other in shock before both of them quietly provided a faint, “yes,” response.
After a brief TED-talk on the matter as to why prank calling is unacceptable, I had to know who fell victim to their prank calling. So, I asked who they called.
“The White House,” they replied.

“No, you two did not call the White House. Who did you really call?”
After this question had been repeated a few times and the same answer returned each time, I thought I would call their bluff, and, boy, did I put my foot in my mouth…
“If you did call the White House, how did you get the number?”
Their response, then – “Google.”
Really? You two went to Google just to find out the number to the White House? Why? (Rhetorical question because obviously my two charming sons had no legit answer to me questioning “why” other than they wanted to speak to the president.)
As I drove down the road, I thought to myself, maybe, just maybe, this was an ultimate prank scenario they are trying to pull over on me. Surely, they did not seriously call the White House and are just trying to prank me. Boy, was I wrong again.
Upon parking my car, I, once again, attempted to call the bluff. I Googled “phone number to the White House,” and sure enough, the number was provided.
Yes, they called the White House. Yes, I informed the sitter of my day’s discovery. Yes, we nervously laughed at the thought of Secret Service showing up to question the innocent sitter who had no idea as to who my two charming boys really prank called, and, yes, this is a true story! Oh, Google!