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Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: The Call is Coming... FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE

Published October 8, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

The hosts discuss the classic urban legend known as "the call is coming from inside the house," also called "the babysitter and the man upstairs," explaining its narrative structure, cultural impact, and why it resonated in the pre-cell phone era. They share related campfire-style horror stories and their own experiences with being scared and startling others. The episode then explores a likely real-life inspiration for the trope, the 1950 unsolved murder of 13-year-old babysitter Janet Christman in Missouri, and how this case and others influenced horror films like "When a Stranger Calls," "Black Christmas," and "Halloween."

Topics Covered

Urban legends Folklore Horror fiction Violence in media Violence and self-defense Trauma

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • The "call is coming from inside the house" is an urban legend centered on a teenage babysitter terrorized by a mysterious caller who ultimately turns out to be inside the home.
  • The legend became especially frightening in an era when it was functionally impossible to call your own phone line, making the twist seem technically uncanny.
  • Similar campfire horror tales like "The Hook," "The Vanishing Hitchhiker," and "Drip Drop Maniac" play on domestic spaces and trusted routines becoming unsafe.
  • A real 1950 case in Columbia, Missouri-the unsolved rape and murder of 13-year-old babysitter Janet Christman-has often been cited as a likely inspiration for the trope.
  • The story has been adapted and reworked in horror films such as "When a Stranger Calls," "Black Christmas," "Halloween," and partially in "Scream."
  • The hosts reflect on how horror movies and pranks can provoke intense, lingering fear responses well into adulthood.
  • Basic advice like not opening the door without checking and having a weapon nearby did not save Janet, underscoring the danger from people known to the victim.
  • Modern cell phones have undermined the original technological premise of the trope, changing how such horror setups work in contemporary stories.

Podcast Notes

Introduction and setup of the episode

Hosts and playful "inside the house" opening

Josh introduces Short Stuff episode with Chuck and Jerry present[0:39]
• Josh jokes that they are coming to the listener "from inside your house" to echo the episode's theme
Trigger warning for violent and sexual content[0:50]
• Chuck clarifies they are not literally inside the house and issues a trigger warning
• He notes the episode includes violent content and a mention of sexual assault

Overview of the "call is coming from inside the house" trope

Description and naming of the trope

Sources used for discussing the trope[0:58]
• They credit TVTropes.com, Tropedia, and an article by Chrissy Stockton on Thought Catalog as key references
• They also mention Sean Van Horn on Collider and users on the Straight Dope message board
• They jokingly credit Principal Seymour Skinner as well
Alternate names for the legend[1:29]
• Josh notes the trope is also often called "the babysitter and the man upstairs"

Basic outline of the urban legend

Typical setup with a teenage babysitter[2:13]
• Chuck explains it usually involves a young teen or tween girl alone at home or babysitting younger kids
• The children are ostensibly asleep upstairs while she is downstairs
First calls from the stranger[1:50]
• She begins receiving calls from a mysterious stranger asking if she has "checked on the kids"
• Initially she thinks it is a prank call and hangs up
Escalation of the phone calls[2:22]
• Chuck says the calls become more sinister as time goes on
• The babysitter may assume it is a friend or boyfriend joking with her, responding with lines like "Is this Johnny?"
• The caller continues phoning back repeatedly, heightening tension

Police involvement and the twist

Babysitter contacts the police[2:27]
• Eventually, the frightened babysitter calls the police to report the persistent caller
• The police tell her they will put a trace on the call
• Josh adds a comedic aside where the police call her "ma'am" and she protests that she is 13, and they reply that's just how they speak
Revelation that the call is from inside the house[2:44]
• After tracing, the police call back and warn her: "You've got to get out of there. The call is coming from inside the house"
• Josh emphasizes how genuinely scary that line is to think about
Outcome for the children in the legend[3:00]
• Once the babysitter escapes, the police arrive and discover the prowler has already murdered the children upstairs

Technological context and why the trope was so creepy

Impossibility of calling your own number at the time

Phone system limitations in the era of the legend[3:00]
• Josh notes that when the legend circulated, people generally could not call their own phone number
• Only very wealthy families might have two lines in a house, making internal calls very unusual
Associated legend about calling your own line[3:21]
• Josh mentions there was a separate urban legend about being able to call your own line by doing certain things like tapping the receiver
• He says that trick turned out to be "neither here nor there"-i.e., not actually how phones worked

Why the twist is effective and how it reads today

Last place you would expect the call to be from[3:29]
• The idea that the call originates from inside the house makes it feel like the danger is in the least expected place
• This amplifies fear for listeners or viewers who do not see the twist coming
Impact of cell phones on the trope[4:26]
• Josh observes that in the age of cell phones, it is easy and normal to call someone from inside the same house
• This makes the original twist harder to grasp or as uncanny for modern audiences

Related urban legends and campfire stories

Other classic scary legends

Examples of similar legends[4:35]
• Chuck mentions "The Hook" as another prominent scary legend
• He also mentions "The Vanishing Hitchhiker"
• He recalls a story called "Drip Drop Maniac" from his youth

The "Drip Drop Maniac" story

Setup with the dog under the bed[4:06]
• In this version, a child is scared at night but is comforted by putting their hand down where a German shepherd under the bed licks their hand
• This repeated licking reassures the child they are safe
Horrific reveal[4:31]
• Later, the child hears a drip, drip, drip sound
• It turns out the dog has been killed and is dripping blood onto the floor
• The really frightening twist is that a man under the bed had been licking the child's hand the whole time
Hosts react and pause the discussion[4:31]
• Josh responds with "Oh, crazy" and compliments it as a good story
• Chuck comments that it is terrifying and suggests taking a break so Josh can recollect himself

Personal experiences with fear and being scared

Sleeping habits and fear of the dark

Josh's evolution from sleeping under the covers[7:54]
• Josh says he used to need to be under the sheets even into his 30s
• He describes himself as a hot sleeper and eventually decided in his 30s or 40s to sleep on top of the sheets despite fears
• Chuck congratulates him for overcoming that habit
Chuck's reaction to scary movies at night[8:14]
• Chuck says if he watches a particularly good ghost or horror movie at night after his family is already in bed, turning out the lights triggers fear
• He admits he will basically run down the hallway to the bedroom after turning the lights off
• He tries not to run, but feels he cannot help it when he is scared
Josh's similar fear responses as an adult[8:31]
• Josh agrees that when a movie truly scares him and he is up late alone, the walk back to the bed looks ridiculous for a 54-year-old man

Startle responses and pranking others

Josh's intense startle reaction[8:45]
• Josh says if someone jumps out to scare him, he will jump with both feet off the ground and make a noise
• He notes that if you manage to scare him, you can really get him
Chuck's past habit of scaring people[8:53]
• Chuck says he used to scare people like that on occasion
• He eventually decided that intentionally scaring people is not cool to do
Josh's mixed feelings about being scared[10:06]
• Josh responds that he actually thinks such scares are great about 30 seconds afterward
• He says it takes him a moment to calm down, but afterward he finds it hilarious and fun

College prank inspired by the movie "Misery"

Setup of the prank[9:20]
• Chuck recounts a college story after he and his roommates saw the movie "Misery" at the dollar theater in Athens, Georgia
• He and his roommate Chris raced home separately from their roommate Eddie
Executing the scare[9:24]
• Chris unscrewed all the light bulbs in the main room to plunge it into darkness
• Chuck and Chris hid in a closet to scare Eddie as he came in
• When Eddie arrived and the lights did not work, he assumed they were joking and turned on the TV for light
• Chuck describes watching Eddie move closer to the closet through a tiny crack in the door, knowing he could not see them
Outcome of the prank[9:58]
• They jumped out of the closet and scared Eddie badly
• Eddie reacted strongly enough that he knocked a framed picture off the wall and broke it
• Josh jokes about them having framed pictures on the wall in college, and Chuck responds lightly

Josh's childhood closet scare from his father

Initial suspicion about the closet door[10:16]
• Josh recalls being about 14, reading in bed, and noticing his closet door was slightly cracked open, which was unusual
• He made a joke to himself that something might be in the closet
Door movement and flight response[10:33]
• A minute or two later, he saw that the door had opened further by itself
• Without investigating, he immediately jumped up to run for the room door, describing an instinctive survival response
Father's jump scare and Josh's reaction[10:41]
• His father burst out of the closet roaring to scare him
• Josh fell onto his back like a turtle and began screaming
• Even after his father stood over him asking if he was okay, Josh could not stop screaming
• His mother had time to run upstairs, see what happened, and ask his father what he did, while Josh continued screaming
• He comments that his father "definitely shortened" his life by scaring him that badly
Chuck's judgment on the prank[11:07]
• Chuck says he feels bad for Josh and states that this is not something a dad should do to their kid

Real-life case possibly inspiring the trope

Trigger warning and source for the real story

Transition to real case[11:24]
• Josh says they are back to tell a real story that may have inspired the legend
• He notes he got this version from Chrissy Stockton's Thought Catalog article, but verified it in other sources as well
• They reiterate that the story becomes very dark and warn that kids listening may want to tune out

Background on Janet Christman and the Romack family

Janet's age, date, and babysitting job[11:41]
• In March 1950, 13-year-old Janet Christman was hired to babysit a 3-year-old child for the Romack family
• The parents are identified as Mr. Gregory Romack and his wife, whose name Josh says he could not find in historical records
• Janet chose to babysit instead of attending a school party that night
Financial reason Janet took the job[11:41]
• Josh explains Janet had recently bought a dress on installment and needed babysitting money to pay it off
• He underscores how responsible she was in making that choice, and notes sadly she "shouldn't have even been there"
Arrival at the Romack house and safety instructions[12:05]
• Janet arrived at the Romacks' home in Columbia, Missouri at around 7:30 PM
• Before leaving, Mr. Romack showed her a loaded shotgun in the house and instructed her on how to shoot it
• Chuck comments on how striking it is to hand such a weapon to a 13-year-old, adding "Missouri" and "1950 is gonna 1950" to contextualize it culturally
• Mr. Romack also told Janet not to open the front door without first turning on the porch light to see who was there
Perception that it would be an uneventful night[12:46]
• Chuck notes one would expect it to be an uneventful babysitting night, especially since she had a shotgun available

The emergency phone call and discovery

Unidentified emergency call to police[13:16]
• Around 10:30 PM, local police received a call from a girl who shouted "come quick" before the line was suddenly cut off
• The police in 1950 Missouri did not have the ability to trace calls, so they had no idea who had phoned
• It was later determined that the caller had been Janet
Parents' attempts to contact home and their return[13:46]
• The Romacks called their house about 30 minutes after the police call, but no one answered the phone
• They apparently did not panic immediately and did not rush home, instead returning around 1:30 AM
Discovery of the crime scene[13:49]
• Upon opening the front door, they found a grisly murder scene
• Janet was dead in a pool of blood, having been sexually assaulted and strangled
• Evidence suggested she had struggled with her attacker
• Josh points out that the porch light was on, which is particularly tragic given the safety instructions she had been given

Suspicions about Robert Mueller and unsolved status

Introduction of suspect Robert Mueller[15:04]
• Janet's family and the Romacks believed a man known to them, Robert Mueller, was likely responsible
• Mueller was a friend of Ed Romack and someone Janet knew because she had babysat for his children
• He had asked her to babysit for him that same night, but she declined because she was already booked with the Romacks
• Josh describes Mueller as an "odd duck" and a creep, according to how the families portrayed him
Evidence and suspicious behavior[14:45]
• Chuck adds that the house phone had been ripped from the wall, which likely explains why Janet's call abruptly ended after she shouted "come quick"
• He notes that this may have been done by Robert Mueller, though this was never proven
• Mueller had recently groped Mrs. Romack, causing her to feel uncomfortable with him
• He had told Mr. Romack that he liked Janet, which is disturbing given her age
• After the murder, Mueller reportedly told Mr. Romack that he could have murdered Janet and then forgotten about it
Unresolved nature of the case[15:31]
• Josh and Chuck state that no one was ever officially tied to Janet's death or arrested for it
• Mueller died in 2006, and the murder of Janet Christman remains unsolved and likely will never be resolved

Influence on horror films and changes in the trope

Connection between Janet's case and the trope

Alleged inspiration for the urban legend and films[15:42]
• Josh says Janet's story is supposedly the one that inspired "the call is coming from inside the house" legend
• He adds it at least likely inspired the 1979 horror film "When a Stranger Calls"

Notable film examples using the trope

"When a Stranger Calls" and other films[15:58]
• Chuck notes that "When a Stranger Calls" (1979) is probably the most famous cinematic use of the "call is coming from inside the house" idea
• He also cites "Black Christmas," which he calls a great horror movie, and John Carpenter's "Halloween" (1978) as films incorporating similar ideas
• Chuck mentions "Scream" as having a sort of version of this scenario with Drew Barrymore, though not exactly the same mechanism
Earlier cinematic use in "The Severed Arm"[16:24]
• Josh mentions that the first instance he saw of this on film was in the 1973 movie "The Severed Arm"
• In that movie, the call-from-inside concept is just one method of killing a character, not the central plot driver

Modern technology's impact on the trope and comedic recommendations

Cell phones undermining the premise[16:33]
• They comment again that cell phones have "screwed this whole thing up" by making in-house calls commonplace and not inherently frightening
RiffTrax recommendation[16:37]
• Chuck recommends the RiffTrax commentary for the sequel "When a Stranger Calls Back" as one of the finest RiffTrax episodes
• He suggests that if listeners want a starting point for RiffTrax, they should begin with that one

Closing remarks and acknowledgment of Janet Christman

Wrap-up of the trope discussion

Conclusion of the Short Stuff episode[16:58]
• Josh says that concludes their discussion of the trope of the call coming from inside the house
• He and Chuck affirm that "Short Stuff is out" as their sign-off

Tribute to the real victim

RIP message for Janet[17:00]
• Chuck specifically says "R.I.P. Janet Christman" to honor the real-life girl whose unsolved murder they discussed

Podcast branding note

Production credit[17:04]
• The outro states that Stuff You Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio and directs listeners to various platforms for more podcasts

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Urban legends often blend fiction with fragments of real events, reflecting collective fears about safety in familiar spaces rather than purely imaginary threats.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What widely shared story or "urban legend" from your own life have you never questioned the origins of, and how might you research where it actually came from?
  • • How could distinguishing between myth and reality in the stories you hear change the way you respond to fear-related information in the news or online?
  • • What is one unsettling story you grew up with that you could revisit today, examining what real-world concern it might have been expressing?
2

Horror stories and pranks can create intense, lasting fear responses, so choosing when and how to scare others carries a real ethical responsibility.

Reflection Questions:

  • • When have you laughed at scaring someone only to realize later that it might have been more traumatizing than funny for them?
  • • How might you better gauge the line between playful surprise and genuine distress when joking with friends, family, or coworkers?
  • • What is one specific way you can adjust your behavior this week to be more considerate of other people's fear thresholds while still having fun?
3

Basic safety habits-like verifying who is at the door and having an emergency plan-are valuable, but real risk often comes from people already known to us, not just anonymous strangers.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In what situations do you currently rely on simple safety routines without considering the behaviors of people you already know and interact with?
  • • How could you improve your personal or family safety plans to account not only for strangers but also for uncomfortable or boundary-crossing behavior from acquaintances?
  • • What is one specific safety conversation you could have with someone in your household this week to clarify what to do in an emergency?
4

Technological shifts, like the move from landlines to cell phones, can quickly make once-powerful narratives or assumptions obsolete, so it's important to regularly update your mental models.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your life or work are you still operating with "landline era" assumptions in a "cell phone era" reality?
  • • How might periodically asking "What has changed in the environment since this idea first made sense?" improve your decisions?
  • • What is one long-held belief, process, or story in your life that you could reassess this month in light of current technology or norms?
5

Exposure to fear in controlled settings (like movies or stories) can be thrilling, but recognizing your own physiological and emotional limits helps you choose experiences that excite rather than overwhelm you.

Reflection Questions:

  • • How does your body typically react to intense fear or suspense, and what does that tell you about your ideal level of stimulation?
  • • In what ways could being more honest about your fear responses help you pick entertainment or challenges that are engaging without being destabilizing?
  • • What is one boundary you could set (e.g., time of day, type of content, or who you watch with) to make scary experiences more enjoyable and less disruptive?

Episode Summary - Notes by Jordan

Short Stuff: The Call is Coming... FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE
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