Confessions of a Night Auditor: Why I Secretly Love Harmless Prank Calls
There’s a certain magic to the night shift at a hotel: the lobby is quiet, the coffee is strong, and the phone rings with the promise of mystery. For many night auditors, the soundtrack of the graveyard shift isn’t just the hum of vending machines or the soft ding of elevators—it’s the chorus of giggling teens on the other end of a prank call. Yes, you read that right: some hotel workers genuinely look forward to the harmless, goofy prank calls that break up the monotony of the night.
One such night auditor shared their secret joy on Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, admitting, “I genuinely love a harmless prank call. I can’t explain how much joy it brings me when a teenager asks to be transferred to room 123 for ‘Dill Dough.’ It’s just so cute.” And based on the flood of responses, it turns out they’re not alone in this delightfully odd pleasure.
The Enduring Art of the Prank Call
Kids these days—turns out, they’re not all glued to TikTok. Some are still keeping the ancient tradition of prank calls alive and well. For many hotel workers, it’s a nostalgic reminder of their own mischief. One commenter, u/Intelligent-Dig2945, reminisced, “We used to do it as kids in the 90's. Usually to our friends but sometimes random companies.” Another, u/jGor4Sure, described paging through the phone book for anyone named “Lipschitz” and delivering the classic punchline: “If you’re Lipschitz then my ass whistles!”
These calls are a kind of folklore, passed down through generations. The names may change—Dill Dough, Hugh Jass, Amanda Hugginkiss—but the spirit remains. Even OP (u/Killorbecome00) admitted to inventing a fake hotel guest named Jeremy just to keep the fun going: “Every few months I still get late-night calls asking for ‘Jeremy,’ and I know there’s a group of teens giggling somewhere.”
When Pranks Go Sour: The Not-So-Funny Side
But let’s be real—prank calls are a bit like hotel guests themselves: most are harmless, but a few are absolute nightmares. While many commenters shared fond memories of silly calls, others pointed out that not all pranksters know where to draw the line. As u/YoyoFarm lamented, “I really wish the perverted ones would stop… It’s always ‘Do you have a fat ass?’ Or the latest one, ‘yeah I was just trying to get a nut and I was wondering how long I should jerk it for’... Please leave me alone 😭”
Unfortunately, OP could relate: “My literal first week working here… I got a call from a man jerking off to my voice, seriously grossed me out.” These calls cross the line into harassment, and the community was quick to draw a clear boundary: “Thoes kinds of callers can disappear lol,” OP concluded, echoing the sentiment of many who just want a safe, fun workplace.
Playing Along: The Secret Sauce for Surviving the Night Shift
So how do night auditors handle the onslaught of calls—funny, weird, or just plain baffling? Many embrace the chaos and play along, finding humor in the absurd. Take u/deejuliet, who recounted her time in car sales: “Then they inquired if the car came with a Wombat, they really wanted a wombat... I busted out laughing and decided to play along. It was the single most hilarious conversation I had my entire car sales career.” Whether it’s a request for an emotional support “service furry” or an inquiry about plastic skunks, sometimes rolling with the joke is the best medicine.
Even when pranks turn meta—like the famous “Is your refrigerator running?” or the “Prince Albert in a can” routine—there’s a sense of camaraderie among pranksters and their targets. As u/Pastor-Future confessed, after exposing a prank, he’d “do a brief critique and then refer them to YouTube for examples of how to do a ‘proper’ prank call.” If you’re going to be a prankster, at least do it right!
Hotel night shifts can be grueling, but for some, these harmless calls inject just enough silliness to keep spirits high. As u/Ekd7801 said, “We love the prank callers and the scammers!... We put them on speakerphone. No, you’re not our owner. No. We’re not having a surprise fire inspection.”
Pranks: A Rite of Passage, or Just Kids Being Kids?
There’s something undeniably wholesome about the tradition of the prank call. It’s a low-stakes rite of passage—a mischievous, analog relic in a world of digital pranks and viral videos. As u/york100 put it, “It was honestly very wholesome and funny and made me laugh that kids could be doing something like this, something that's really harmless, kids being kids.” Sometimes, even the “victims” of the prank end up laughing along with the callers, forging a brief, ridiculous bond across the phone lines.
Of course, not everyone is charmed—especially when the calls turn crass or creepy. But when done right, they offer a rare moment of levity in an otherwise thankless job. “It’s refreshing to know that cheap thrills still exist,” u/RoyallyOakie summed up.
Conclusion: What’s Your Prank Call Story?
Whether you’re a night auditor dodging bizarre requests, a reformed prankster, or just a fan of good, old-fashioned mischief, there’s a special place in our collective memory for the prank call. They can be annoying, sure—but sometimes, they’re just the laugh we all need at 2 AM.
So, what about you? Have you ever received (or made!) a prank call that left you in stitches—or wishing you hadn’t picked up? Share your stories below; after all, laughter (and maybe a little embarrassment) is best when it’s shared.
Original Reddit Post: I love prank calls