'Wish my dad happy birthday' billboard draws thousands of calls

[demmiblue]

A New Jersey father has received thousands of birthday phone calls and texts after his sons put up a billboard inviting strangers to wish him well.

The sign, which greets motorists in Linwood, New Jersey, asks strangers to "wish my dad a happy birthday" and shows Chris Ferry's mobile number.

People from around the world have clogged his phone to help celebrate his 62nd birthday, he said.

Some have called to sing happy birthday while others share personal stories.

After the first sign went up on Thursday ahead of his birthday on 16 March, he received his first text from a man named Nick, he told a local Florida ABC News affiliate.

Mr Ferry then asked the stranger: "How do you know it's my birthday coming up?"

"I saw it on a billboard," the man said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47529100

Oh, man!

[procon]

1. That's a terrible practical joke.

They killed their dad's phone and his number is now trashed so he'll need a new one, is that supposed to be funny??? Not to mention the waste of his time, at least in the beginning, in answering calls from strangers and probably the usual mix of screwy crackpots that ruined his day.

Hope he is planning his revenge.