How would you respond to this

[countrygirl12]

Okay, so this irritates me to NO end!  The other day I was babysitting my niece and nephew at their house.
My SIL's brother called (I didn't know who he was when he called) and I answered the phone

"Hello"

And he said "Hello"

I again said "Hello"

And he says "Hello"

It took all the restraint I had not to say "Do you freakin want something or did you just call to irritate me!"

I have had people call my house and do the same thing.  Why do people do that?  YOU called me so state your business.  I cannot stand when people just sit and say hello trying to be funny.  I also thought about just hanging up.  In the meantime my SIL's mother had come home and it was her son who was doing it.  If she had not been there I probably would have just hung up.  But she was standing there so I just said "hold on" and gave her the phone.

GRRRRR!

[dkanofsky]

Sounds like BIL wanted to "stir the pot" a little bit.

[dwggs]

When someone calls me and plays the hello game but doesn't say anything else .... I hang up ... if it was important they will call back and talk to 2nd time.

If they don't .. then I assume it was not that important ... LOL

[djohnson43]

If I say Hello twice and they still continue I will usually say `Okay fine be that way' then hang up. The problem with me though is my 18 year old daughter sounds just like me on the phone so when her friends call they think it is her and cute to do it. When I hang up they will often call right back in say instead... `Um hi can I please speak to....' And I say you should have said that to begin with.
 

[alice44]

Another idea would be to ask the caller to hold for a minute and then just leave the phone.  They wait and wait and you are happily off somewhere else.
Did I just suggest this?  Shame on me!   

[lvstephanie]

If I say Hello twice and they still continue I will usually say `Okay fine be that way' then hang up. The problem with me though is my 18 year old daughter sounds just like me on the phone so when her friends call they think it is her and cute to do it. When I hang up they will often call right back in say instead... `Um hi can I please speak to....' And I say you should have said that to begin with.
 

I'm surprised you didn't turn the tables on them... When they ask "Can I speak to...", the correct response should be "I certainly hope you can. If you cannot, you better call the hospital instead." I had a friend's father that would always do that to me when I called. He was such a stickler for correct grammar, that he would use that as a teaching moment for the difference between "can" and "may".  

[crazyzoo]

Because of so many callers you like to call and just sit there I started keeping a whistle handy after a few hello's and no response blow the whistle I have very few of these calls anymore lol

[Timberlan127]

I've had those kind of calls also. I usually hang up or just hand my husband the phone if he's there. Very annoying!!!

[Liquidfire_43]

I won't normally answer calls unless it's from friends, family, or I am expecting a call... Other then that I would ask them what they want and if they don't give me a good answer, I just hang up

[BlackSheepNY]

I guess it would depend on what kind of mood I'm in at the time of the call.  I like playing games and can play them as well as anyone.  If they're really getting on my nerves, I put my daughter-in-law on the phone and she'll rattle off in RUSSIAN.  Hahahahahaha!!!  NOBODY knows what the heck she's saying!!!   

[gaylasue]

I would have said goodbye after the second hello.

[vickysue]

Here lately i only answer those phone calls that have a name appear. If there is a number that i call a lot like my externatior i will put the company name and then i know to to talk to them. Hubby on the other hand will say you called me talk to me or he will just hang up.

[msmoneybags48]

Before my house phone was disconnected, someone would call my number and not say a word.  I screamed into the phone, "Whoever this is, you need to grow up."  My husband answered to the same treatment and said, "You called here, but not saying anything means you are childish".  I got those kinds of calls for the better part of 6, maybe 7 months.  I think it is totally juvenile to call someone and not say anything, or in the case of the initial poster's caller, just say "hello" over and over again.  My calls ended the day the phone was disconnected.

[monnee]

I would say you got the wrong number and just hang up the phone on the fool.

[raven1114]

Tell them there's nobody there by the name 'hello' and hang up.