You had me at hello

I have recently been noticing how people greet one another when they pick up the phone. It is very telling of the person's personality, their current state of mind, the company they are in. And all this sometimes by the simple "hello".

But before that, a story. I remember when I was about 7 or 8, I first started becoming interested in the phone as a communication tool. Before that it was the domain of adults, who spoke into it, sometimes to people i knew, sometimes to strangers. I didn't even know the number.

But after my parents split up, the phone became all important. It was my connection to my dad. When with dad, it was my link to mum. The numbers 4526473 had great significance and was committed to memory like no other number had been (not even the times table)

I also noticed that my mum answered the phone in a weary, sad tone. The "H" in the hello was heavily exhaled, like a sigh. The tone was low, the volume lower. It sounded as burdened and as tired as she was.I learnt to gauge her actual mood by the next word. An excited "Ah, yes" meant it was a family member, a no-nonsense brusque tone - a call from work. A wordless "Nalinee, it's for you" meant it was my dad. And much later, a high giggle indicated that her then-boyfriend, now-husband was on the line.

Little known to myself, I too started to answer the phone with the world-weary hello. Maybe it was just mindless imitation (probably). Maybe I wanted the sympathy and attention she seemed to get with that tone (possibly). Maybe sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

But it was years later (almost 12 years) when a male caller who would later become my husband called me on it. "Why do you always answer the phone like someone just finished berating you?", he asked. I thought about it. I made a conscious effort to sound more cheerful. I hope it worked.

Today my mother answers the phone with an Australian accent - the insertion of the "i" and the questioning tone which sounds like "Helloi?". Go figure.

Dad, he sounds like he was in the midst of reading the Iliad. In the original Greek.

My brother, always surprised. Btw, he says "Helloi?" too. :)

Hanan - lowers his voice a couple of octaves, tries to sound like a grown man.

R - sounds like an English Lady, going Cooee! Sorry dude, you do and I love you for it.

A - says "Har-low!" True blue Singaporean.

What do I sound like now? Tell me next time you call me ok?