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The Old Phone

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Dec. ~ 2006 Feb.: Free Expression: The Old Phone users admin

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Rupertbear
Member

09-19-2003

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 11:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rupertbear a private message Print Post    
I have no idea where I should post this, so I'll put it here and let the dear mods decide what's the best spot for it.



When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our
neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The
shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the
telephone, 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 was "Information Please" and there was nothing she
did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the
correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my
mother was visiting a neighbour. 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 telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlour
and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the
parlour and held it to my ear. "Information, please" I said into the
mouthpiece 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 an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts." "Can you
open the icebox?" 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 chipmunk 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 called, Information
Please," and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things
grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why
is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy 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, "Paul always
remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please." "Information,"
said in the now familiar voice. "How 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 across 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 into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never
really 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 spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle.

I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on
the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I
was doing, I dialled my hometown 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 have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "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 her how often I had thought of 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."

Three 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
Paul?" "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 note said, "Tell him there are 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.

Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 11:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
I love that.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 11:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Abby7 a private message Print Post    
sweet.....
(i hope James Frey didn't write that. lol)



Native_texan
Member

08-24-2004

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 1:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Native_texan a private message Print Post    
What a wonderful story.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 1:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
dammit u made me cry!


i loved it and am going to pass it along. thx. :-)

Weinermr
Member

08-18-2001

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 1:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Weinermr a private message Print Post    
Made me cry too.

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 2:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
That is a very nice story.

One thing that troubles me about technology is that it has tended to de-personalize our lives. We don’t get to experience the same contact with people that we used to because so many things are automated.

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 2:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Shit I'm blinking back tears at my desk.

Bandit
Member

07-29-2001

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 3:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bandit a private message Print Post    
I've seen that story a few times before...it's so sweet.

Denecee
Member

09-05-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 3:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Denecee a private message Print Post    
me too, Mocha

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 3:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
It always touches a soft spot in me!

Jagger
Member

08-07-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 3:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jagger a private message Print Post    
I've also read this a few times, but it is always great reading it again.

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 4:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
Just did a bit of research: This article was first printed in 1966 in Reader's Digest.

Marysafan
Member

08-07-2000

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 4:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marysafan a private message Print Post    
Fond memories of when "information" was free and you got a real live person.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 5:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Nowadays you get an UNreasonable facsimile. sigh.

Rupertbear
Member

09-19-2003

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 5:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rupertbear a private message Print Post    
Oh good... I wasn't the only one who cried.

Thanks, OG...it just said Author Unknown, wow...'66!

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 5:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Abby7 a private message Print Post    
(yep, i cried too)

Sue
Member

06-02-2005

Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 7:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sue a private message Print Post    
OMG that was such a touching story that too made me tear up. How very sweet!

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 12:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Calamity a private message Print Post    
*Sniff* Thank you, Rupertbear. That was so beautiful. *Sniff*

Laralyn
Member

08-04-2005

Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 5:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Laralyn a private message Print Post    
Rupertbear,
thank you passing this forward...a beautiful story.