Good morning, sir, Kim Jong-Un calling

But there was something different about this particular interruption. The glowing smartphone’s screen indicated that the call was coming not from a bank, a cable TV company, retail outlet, political polling outfit or media firm.

Shockingly, it was purportedly emanating from, of all unexpected locales, North Korea. At least that’s what the screen declared. 

So, for no discernible reason whatsoever, someone in the notorious, ultra-secretive Hermit Kingdom was trying to get in touch with your correspondent — seemingly, but it was impossible to tell for certain.

There was no way I was going to answer that call. Who knows who, or what, might have been on the other end of the line, or satellite link?

Could it have come from Kim Jon Un himself or one of many devoted acolytes? Rather doubtful.

The communist nation’s dictator would have no reason to reach out to a guy on the Peninsula who has never been farther west than the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For crying out loud, I can’t even spell the name of North Korea’s capital city.

In the end, that call went unanswered. There was no message left by anyone as well. That ended the odd interlude. 

But one nagging question does linger: If the very reason for a robocall is to entice the recipient to answer it, why label its origination as North Korea; isn’t that an obvious turnoff for most of us? One would think so. It makes no sense.

Still, I continue to check my mailbox for anything out of the ordinary. You can’t be too careful these days. 

ABALONE FOR TWO BUCKS?: It used to be tough to resist abalone. An example of the lure of this attractive menu morsel has been provided by Al Schwoerer, a valuable, local historical resource whose collection of photos rivals that of a museum.

Nearly 60 years ago, his files reveal, you could have purchased a scrumptious Morro Bay abalone dinner at the Cliff House in San Francisco for the princely sum of $2.

That’s right, two bucks, a pair of thin dollar bills. Ah, those were indeed the days when abalone, a true seafood delicacy, was readily available in these parts — and rather cheap to boot.

But, we got greedy. We went bonkers. Over-harvesting of the coastal sea snail, once plentiful, caused state authorities to drastically limit (or outright forbid) the practice. Now, if you can find abalone at all, prices are through the roof.

The legal harvesting of red abalone by divers along the California coast has been off-limits and delayed into the spring of 2021, at the earliest. Once again, we can expect those prices to skyrocket into the stratosphere when (or if) a limited supply of the highly desirable mollusk comes to market.

In any event, gobs of tartar sauce are at the ready. 

SEND SANTA A LETTER: Old St. Nick may be losing some of his traditional luster during this easily offended era (he’s an old, overweight white guy in a weird outfit who allegedly doesn’t pay his nonunion helpers minimum wage or health benefits and forces reindeer to endure high-altitude flying without Christmas work breaks or extra oxygen) but he still maintains some cachet despite those carping critics.

The Foster City Recreation Department is here to help. A child (or a parent) can write to Santa Claus at his mythical North Pole digs via the department’s recreation center at 650 Shell Blvd. The deadline is Dec. 10. Mail to Santa must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a written response.

Letters can also be dropped off in the center’s blue mailbox near the building’s side entrance parking lot. In addition, a drive-thru mail service will be available from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 3 at the center.

Ho, ho, ho. 

Contact John Horgan by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.