--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you ever leave a message for somebody…" description: "\"Do you ever leave a message for somebody and the answering machine cuts you off, and you have to decide whether you should not call back, or call back ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ea/jim-gaffigan-580_answering-machines_do-you-ever-leave-a-message-for-somebody_1306967.jpg" --- # Do you ever leave a message for somebody and the answering… ![“Do you ever leave a message for somebody and the answering machine cuts you off, and you have to decide whether you should not call back, or call back and appear like a stalker? "Hi. It's me again. I forgot to tell you that I'm going to kill you. Because I'm the freak who keeps calling and calling."” quote by Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ea/jim-gaffigan-580_answering-machines_do-you-ever-leave-a-message-for-somebody_1306967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ea/jim-gaffigan-580_answering-machines_do-you-ever-leave-a-message-for-somebody_1306967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ea/jim-gaffigan-580_answering-machines_do-you-ever-leave-a-message-for-somebody_1306967.jpg) > “Do you ever leave a message for somebody and the answering machine cuts you off, and you have to decide whether you should not call back, or call back and appear like a stalker? "Hi. It's me again. I forgot to tell you that I'm going to kill you. Because I'm the freak who keeps calling and calling."” [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous take on the awkwardness of voicemail and the fear of seeming obsessive when following up. **In simple terms:** Worried about seeming clingy after a missed call. Key Takeaway Balance politeness with boundaries. Themes communication social anxiety humor Mood embarrassed light‑hearted Type observational comedic When to use this quote - personal calls - dating - customer service - friendship Key Concepts boundaries perception self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to follow up? - When does persistence become harassment? A Different Perspective May not apply to all cultures or situations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answering Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answering-machine/) [Answering machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answering-machines/) [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freak/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Keeps Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeps-calling-2316939/) [Leave Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-message-374375/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Message Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message-somebody-4311649/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stalker Hi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalker-hi-4311648/) [Text](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text/) ## Related quotes > [I wish I was a phone machine. I wish if I saw somebody on the street I didn't want to talk to I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-wish-i-was-a-phone-machine-i-wish-if-i-saw-somebody-on-the-street-i/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I have an answering machine in my car. It says, I'm home now. But leave a message and I'll call when I'm out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-have-an-answering-machine-in-my-car-it-says-i-m-home-now-but-leave/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I've never sent an email in my life. My kids laugh. I often hand the phone to them and say, 'Can you text this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/i-ve-never-sent-an-email-in-my-life-my-kids-laugh-i-often-hand-the/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [The void is ready to snatch you up like a Pac Man machine and Laskshmi is on vacation. You chant Sring - and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-void-is-ready-to-snatch-you-up-like-a-pac-man-machine-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm much better at saying something on the answering machine than texting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-levit/i-m-much-better-at-saying-something-on-the-answering-machine-than/) [Igor Levit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-levit/) > [The breakup of Bell laid the foundation for every important communications revolution since the 1980s onward. There was no way of knowing that thirty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/the-breakup-of-bell-laid-the-foundation-for-every-important/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Telephone message on his manager's answering machine shortly before dying of heroin overdose: I need help bad, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/telephone-message-on-his-manager-s-answering-machine-shortly-before/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I'm not good at texting because I'm an older generation, old school. And nobody ever listens to the answering machine anymore. It's terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-levit/i-m-not-good-at-texting-because-i-m-an-older-generation-old-school/) [Igor Levit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-levit/) > [“She never opened her mail in the middle of the day. Sometimes she forgot about it for a week or more until people rang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicci-french/she-never-opened-her-mail-in-the-middle-of-the-day-sometimes-she/) [Nicci French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicci-french/) > [You wonder if God doesn't have an answering machine to screen out the prayers of the venal and the boring? And in which category…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/you-wonder-if-god-doesn-t-have-an-answering-machine-to-screen-out-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I remember a few years ago I was sitting at home with my wife watching the Oscars. I was sitting on the couch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-remember-a-few-years-ago-i-was-sitting-at-home-with-my-wife/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [Like most people, you listen to yourself on the phone or an answering machine and you're like, 'Ugh.' So to do something with just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/like-most-people-you-listen-to-yourself-on-the-phone-or-an-answering/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I think people who aren't in film experience that when they hear their voice on an answering machine or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-think-people-who-aren-t-in-film-experience-that-when-they-hear/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I'm definitely a child of the 21st century and I prefer texting to phone calls, but I would prefer an answering machine over all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-dooling/i-m-definitely-a-child-of-the-21st-century-and-i-prefer-texting-to/) [Brendan Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-dooling/) > [Fax me a fact and I'll telegram a hologram or telephone the son of man and tell him he is done. Leave a message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/fax-me-a-fact-and-i-ll-telegram-a-hologram-or-telephone-the-son-of/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) ## More by Jim Gaffigan > [“Cousins are like celebrities for little kids.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/cousins-are-like-celebrities-for-little-kids/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Stand-up comedy in the end, unlike the rest of the entertainment industry, is a meritocracy. There's a certain level of undeniability you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/stand-up-comedy-in-the-end-unlike-the-rest-of-the-entertainment/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I think growing up in Indiana prepares anyone for a life in comedy. I do feel like there is a certain kind of self-effacing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-think-growing-up-in-indiana-prepares-anyone-for-a-life-in-comedy-i/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Besides hot pockets keeps introducing new products every 10 minutes so I always have new stuff on the topic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/besides-hot-pockets-keeps-introducing-new-products-every-10-minutes/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“The song goes, “Morning has broken,” and I’m pretty sure my children broke it. Like everything else they break, if they did break it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/the-song-goes-morning-has-broken-and-i-m-pretty-sure-my-children/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I am single, I don't drink. It's kind of hard to get a woman buzzed when you don't drink. You'll be like, "Yeah, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-am-single-i-don-t-drink-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-get-a-woman-buzzed/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Babies and toddlers are mostly what I've been exposed to at this point. I'm hoping parenting just gets much easier after this. It does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/babies-and-toddlers-are-mostly-what-i-ve-been-exposed-to-at-this/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Isn't it strange -- when you're single, all you see is couples, and when you're part of a couple, all you see are hookers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/isn-t-it-strange-when-you-re-single-all-you-see-is-couples-and-when/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I usually don't have a burger, a brat, and a steak but it is 4th of July. And I need the energy if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-usually-don-t-have-a-burger-a-brat-and-a-steak-but-it-is-4th-of/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“If you complain about how you spend your Saturdays taking your kid to birthday parties, that means you are taking your kid to birthday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/if-you-complain-about-how-you-spend-your-saturdays-taking-your-kid-to/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Ever eat so much you feel sick? Isn't that the best?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/ever-eat-so-much-you-feel-sick-isn-t-that-the-best/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I believe that comedians do what they do, and then they get credit or criticism for doing it. There's nothing planned about this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-believe-that-comedians-do-what-they-do-and-then-they-get-credit-or/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“Being a parent is a selfless adventure. The worldview of “Take care of yourself first” is no longer logical to a sane person if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/being-a-parent-is-a-selfless-adventure-the-worldview-of-take-care-of/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“Occasionally, a dog will be presented as some training method for having a baby. "My girlfriend and I got a dog. We are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/occasionally-a-dog-will-be-presented-as-some-training-method-for/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Cookies at both of them. The cookies are probably better at Letterman though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/cookies-at-both-of-them-the-cookies-are-probably-better-at-letterman/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) [Explore all 465 Jim Gaffigan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) ## More Answering machines quotes > [ \[Answering the phone\] Hello, this is a recording, you've dialed the right number, now hang up and don't do it again. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/answering-the-phone-hello-this-is-a-recording-you-ve-dialed-the-right/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [Fax me a fact and I'll telegram a hologram or telephone the son of man and tell him he is done. Leave a message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/fax-me-a-fact-and-i-ll-telegram-a-hologram-or-telephone-the-son-of/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) > [I'm definitely a child of the 21st century and I prefer texting to phone calls, but I would prefer an answering machine over all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-dooling/i-m-definitely-a-child-of-the-21st-century-and-i-prefer-texting-to/) [Brendan Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-dooling/) > [Everyone I talked to was a recording-the bank, the elevator, your office, the school, a wrong number. You used to be able to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/everyone-i-talked-to-was-a-recording-the-bank-the-elevator-your/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The dead have no ears, no answering machines that we know of, still we call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hicok/the-dead-have-no-ears-no-answering-machines-that-we-know-of-still-we/) [Bob Hicok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hicok/) > [I think people who aren't in film experience that when they hear their voice on an answering machine or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-think-people-who-aren-t-in-film-experience-that-when-they-hear/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [“She never answers during the day," Max explained. "She lets her machine pick up." People like you are the reason other people get answering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/she-never-answers-during-the-day-max-explained-she-lets-her-machine/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Like most people, you listen to yourself on the phone or an answering machine and you're like, 'Ugh.' So to do something with just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/like-most-people-you-listen-to-yourself-on-the-phone-or-an-answering/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [People ask me to record their answering machines all the time. I love it. It's a miracle to me that people want to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/people-ask-me-to-record-their-answering-machines-all-the-time-i-love/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [What I like best about the telephone is that it keeps you in touch with people, particularly people who want to sell you magazine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/what-i-like-best-about-the-telephone-is-that-it-keeps-you-in-touch/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I remember a few years ago I was sitting at home with my wife watching the Oscars. I was sitting on the couch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/i-remember-a-few-years-ago-i-was-sitting-at-home-with-my-wife/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [You wonder if God doesn't have an answering machine to screen out the prayers of the venal and the boring? And in which category…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/you-wonder-if-god-doesn-t-have-an-answering-machine-to-screen-out-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“She never opened her mail in the middle of the day. Sometimes she forgot about it for a week or more until people rang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicci-french/she-never-opened-her-mail-in-the-middle-of-the-day-sometimes-she/) [Nicci French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicci-french/) > [I'm not good at texting because I'm an older generation, old school. And nobody ever listens to the answering machine anymore. It's terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-levit/i-m-not-good-at-texting-because-i-m-an-older-generation-old-school/) [Igor Levit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-levit/) > [Telephone message on his manager's answering machine shortly before dying of heroin overdose: I need help bad, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/telephone-message-on-his-manager-s-answering-machine-shortly-before/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) [Browse all 44 Answering machines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answering-machines/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do you ever leave a message for somebody and the answering machine cuts you off, and you have to decide whether you should not call back, or call back and appear like a stalker? \"Hi. It's me again. I forgot to tell you that I'm going to kill you. 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