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General Discussion / Old phone on the wall-hello
« on: January 19, 2013, 05:19:53 AM »
When I was a jong boy, my father had one of the first phones in our neighborhood, I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shine receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the phone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.
Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time. Mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible
, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.
I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The phone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver and held it to my ear. "Information Please" I said into the mouth piece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information"
"I hurt my finger,,," I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had a audience. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home but me" I blubbered. " Are you bleeding?" came the question.
"No" I replied "I hit my finger with a hammer and it hurts," "Can you open the ice box?" she asked. I said I could.
"then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything,,, I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmonk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I cald, "Information Please" and told here the story. She listened, and then said things grownup's say to soothe a child. But I was not consold, I asked her, "Why is it that birds sing so beautifully and bringjoy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"
She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly," Wayne, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in"
Somehow I felt better...
Another day I was on the phone,"Information Please" "Information" said the now familiar voice, "Howe do I spell fix?" I asked.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When
I was nine years old we moved ac cross the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew in to my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never left me.
Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spend her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my wah west to collage, my plane put down in Seattle,, I had about a half hour or so between planes, I spend 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my home town operator and said "Information Please"
Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information".
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying"Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must be healed by now,,"
I laughed, "So it's really you." I sad "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"
I wonder,"she said,"if you know how much your call meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls"
I told herhow often I taught ot her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally"
Tree months later I was back in Seattle.. A different voice answered "Information" I asked for Sally..
" Are you a friend? she said. "Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this,"She said, "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
Before I could hang up, she said "Wait a minute,did you say your name was Wayne?" "Yes" I answered.
"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.."
The not said, "tell him there other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."
I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others
Whose life have you touched today?
Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time. Mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible
, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The phone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver and held it to my ear. "Information Please" I said into the mouth piece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information"
"I hurt my finger,,," I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had a audience. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home but me" I blubbered. " Are you bleeding?" came the question.
"No" I replied "I hit my finger with a hammer and it hurts," "Can you open the ice box?" she asked. I said I could.
"then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything,,, I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmonk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I cald, "Information Please" and told here the story. She listened, and then said things grownup's say to soothe a child. But I was not consold, I asked her, "Why is it that birds sing so beautifully and bringjoy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"
She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly," Wayne, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in"
Somehow I felt better...
Another day I was on the phone,"Information Please" "Information" said the now familiar voice, "Howe do I spell fix?" I asked.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When
I was nine years old we moved ac cross the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew in to my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never left me.
Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spend her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my wah west to collage, my plane put down in Seattle,, I had about a half hour or so between planes, I spend 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my home town operator and said "Information Please"
Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information".
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying"Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must be healed by now,,"
I laughed, "So it's really you." I sad "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"
I wonder,"she said,"if you know how much your call meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls"
I told herhow often I taught ot her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally"
Tree months later I was back in Seattle.. A different voice answered "Information" I asked for Sally..
" Are you a friend? she said. "Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this,"She said, "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
Before I could hang up, she said "Wait a minute,did you say your name was Wayne?" "Yes" I answered.
"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.."
The not said, "tell him there other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."
I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others
Whose life have you touched today?
So anyone interested in a spare set so we can share the cost of shipping?