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‘Sorry, wrong number’: One of the perils of obit writing

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Why wasn’t the family of B-movie actress Pamela Blake, who died Oct. 6, getting back to me? Over two days, I had left several messages on what I thought was her son Mike’s cellphone. The number had been provided by a former Times colleague who was also Mike’s friend.

When I call again, a live voice finally answers.

‘This is Mike’s wife,’ she says, ‘but Mike’s mother is not dead. He called his mother to make sure she is still alive.’

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At least she is laughing as she tells me this.

I let out a huge ‘Oh, no!’ and apologize profusely, then can’t help but giggle myself.

Turns out cellphone Mike’s mother is not Pamela Blake. I have been helpfully provided with an outdated phone number for Blake’s son that has already been passed along to another Mike.

-- Valerie J. Nelson

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