It started with a mistake — the kind that usually ends in a quick hang-up or an awkward apology. But for Mike Moffitt and Gladys, a wrong number became the start of something beautiful.

Twenty years ago, Mike’s old Nokia flip phone rang. The screen lit up, showing a number he didn’t recognize. On the other end of the line was an elderly woman trying to reach her sister in Maryland. But she had dialed the wrong area code — and instead reached Mike in Rhode Island.

She apologized and tried again. Then again. And again.

After a few misdials, Mike picked up and said, partly amused and partly curious, “Who are you, where are you from, and what are you trying to do?”

That simple question broke the ice — and instead of hanging up, Gladys laughed. She explained her mix-up, and somehow, that awkward wrong number turned into a real conversation. Something about it just clicked.

They talked. Really talked.

Mike learned that Gladys was going through a hard time. She had recently divorced, and worse — she had lost a son. She shared her grief, her hopes, and bits and pieces of her life with this stranger who had now become a friendly voice on the other end of the phone.

The calls didn’t stop. In fact, they became regular.

Over the years, Mike and Gladys developed an unlikely but deeply meaningful friendship. Despite the age gap and the distance, they kept in touch. They shared holidays over the phone, gave each other updates on life, and leaned on one another when times were tough.

Then one day, years later, Mike took a trip to Florida — where Gladys lived. Without telling her in advance, he decided it was time they finally met in person.

When he knocked on her door, Gladys answered — and was stunned. Her eyes lit up with joy. She laughed, then cried. And she hugged Mike like she’d known him forever.

“It was the happiest moment ever,” she said later, beaming.

It’s hard to imagine that a friendship like this — genuine, loyal, lasting — could be born from something as random as a misdialed number. But maybe that’s what makes it so special.

In a world full of noise and disconnection, Mike and Gladys remind us that sometimes, the most unexpected people can come into our lives at exactly the right moment. All it takes is a little kindness, a little curiosity, and the willingness to stay on the line a little longer.

Because sometimes, a wrong number is exactly the right call.