Jim’s Wife
I am not prepared to give up my land line telephone. So many people tell me that they gave up their land line and just use their cell phone. The kids say, “No one has land lines anymore.” They must. Have you seen a phone book?
I can remember getting my first cell phone and being amazed that you could be out and about and still have a conversation with someone. No more missing calls or getting help when you need it out on the road. There is also no excuse not to answer the phone. I have my list of people I know who are always attached to their phones but they never seem to have it handy when I call. You know who you are.
As great as cell phones are, there is serious fear in giving up the phone I have had literally for years. I understand all the arguments, but I have an attachment to my number that I do not know how to give up.
What if I meet someone at a gathering and we laugh and have a great time. As we are headed home, I am telling Jim how much I enjoyed meeting “Ethel,” and he is telling me he had a great conversation with “Ralph,” and what do you know? Ethel and Ralph are married and they would be a great couple to get together with, and then we realize we have no way to contact them. I can’t look them up in the telephone book to send a card saying how much we enjoyed meeting them and how about we get together for lunch sometime. No, I have never actually done that but I like to know I can find someone if needed. Although it is sounding pretty creepy as I read this back.
Thank goodness I am no longer in the dating world. There was a time you could meet someone, you could look them up in the phone book then drive by their house several hundred times. I do not remember why it was important to drive by, but it was. I did it. I admit it.
Now a days the only way I know how to stalk someone is to hunt them down on Facebook, and everyone knows you can’t believe everything you see on Facebook. That is a whole different discussion someday but truly, do not believe everything people post on Facebook. I have heard of cyber stalking, but either I do not know what it means, I do not know how to do it, or I am not at all impressed by it.
I am afraid that I have lost some of my memory from using the cell phone. There was a time I could quote you the phone numbers of everyone in my family, my close friends and work numbers. I no longer have that ability. Everything is saved in my cell phone. Before cell phones it was easier to memorize a phone number than to have to pick up the phone book and look it up. Now, I have the cell phone at my fingertips - - in theory.
I do like having a cell phone, and it is handy in many ways. I like the use of “texting” but I do not want to have a full conversation with it. If you are letting me know you are running late meeting me, giving me the place to meet you or letting me know any quick information then texting is great. If I can respond with an “OK” then I am good with it. But do not expect a full conversation to take place with me by text. If you have more than three sentences to share with me which is going to require more than a one-syllable answer, then call me and we will have an actual conversation.
I guess it is not my land line I am hanging onto but the phone book. I want to be in the phone book. Maybe I want someone to be able to send me a card and say “Hey, enjoyed meeting you!”
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE September 4 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.