Story Starters - Number One

Here's something new for you. I've decided to put to potential story ideas out there for people to enjoy. If the concept strikes you with inspiration run with it. If you think it would make a great idea, but needs a few details altered, go ahead, make it work for you. These are ideas that don't fit with any of my current projects, and I won't likely use them in the future. And even if they don't lead you to your next novel, they should give you some good writing exercise. Enough rambling, on with the ideas.

1. You are sitting in the cafeteria at work. As you're eating your lunch you overhear some people at the table behind you having a conversation about an individual who apparently died in a tragic accident. When your name is mentioned a minute later you ask the group of people what they are talking about. One of them hands you a newspaper article recounting the details of the accident and giving your name as that of the deceased victim.
2. You receive a phone call in the middle of the night from a friend or former colleague whom you haven't spoken to in twelve years.
3. While working in the basement of your home (or place of business) you notice a brick protruding slightly from the wall. While examining the brick you find it easy to remove from the its place. A dark space is revealed behind the brick wall. You find it impossible to see anything behind the wall so you set out to find a flashlight.
4. You find yourself sitting in your cubicle at work taking care of things on your computer. Suddenly every phone in the building starts ringing at the same time. (Variations on this include having every land-line start ringing, but none of the cell phones, or vice versa.)

"The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." - Mark Twain