Telephones

Dear Mom,

I wonder what you would think about the technology out today especially with phones. The latest is the IPhone, I think. I’m not very techy, although I try my best to keep up.

My children would be mortified if they had to use a rotary dial phone that you shared with another family. Party lines. If you picked up the phone and heard voices, you knew the neighbor was on the other end and you quickly hung up. You’d have to wait your turn to use it.

Now, no one can be without their phone. I can. I keep mine in the car unless I know I’m meeting someone. Once Norm and I went on vacation and we decided we weren’t going to bring our phone. I suggested we take it in case of an emergency, but Norm insisted, nah. We did get into a situation where a cell phone would have come in quite handy and he vowed to listen to me from then on. But he doesn’t. But that’s okay. He’ll learn eventually.

The IPhone has Internet and can do just about anything except the laundry. It would make me crazy, but I’m sure at some point that will be the only kind of phone you’ll be able to get. It also makes me crazy when you’re out with someone and they get a phone call and they talk and chat away while you’re sitting there twiddling your thumbs. Just like waiting for the party line to free up.