It was a plot by the phone company. They needed a way to get into the pocket of a plugger where the money is tightly held. No better way than to put the phone there and have it get chummy with the money.
Haven’t seen a pay phone in years, I was feeling nostalgic about them until Jo Clear brought up a VERY GOOD POINT! They certainly weren’t the cleanest things, to be sure!
I also feel sad about the loss of local mailboxes. I know, I know – they weren’t used enough, it’s more efficient to get rid of them, etc., but it’s just another piece of pleasant history that has bit the dust.
I used to install and maintain pay phones and line lines back in the day when you rented the instrument from the phone company, and service was rated on 2-hour outage restoration and 12 hour other repairs – free.
Our club still has a wooden phone booth on the lower level in what used to be called JJ’s restaurant. JJ Brackett was the postman who delivered mail in the area. Anyway, a few years ago, when the grandkids were little, one of them asked me what the “thing” was along the wall and pointed to the phone booth..When I explained what it was and how it was used, having grown up with techie parents, they didn’t fully comprehend. Then I referred to an early Superman film they enjoyed and it seemed to sink in. As we sat waiting for our lunch, the younger one just stared at the booth and would occasionally get up, walk over to it, and give it a closer examination. He would come back to the table and continue his surveillance..Just as our waitress arrived with lunch, I asked why he was so interested in the phone booth. He turned to grandpa and said, “I’m waiting for Superman to show up.”
About 15 years ago a phone co guy had to come to the house and we were talking about antiques. He said the phone co had a big room with all the old phones, booths, etc and they were really cool. he wished he had grabbed a lot of the old stuff cuz they were eventually just dumped.
I often wondered why the dollar was represented by an “S” with a line through it. Today, I found out..According to whacky-pedia:.“The symbol $, usually written before the numerical amount, is used for the U.S. dollar (as well as for many other currencies). The sign was the result of a late 18th-century evolution of the scribal abbreviation “ps” for the peso. The p and the s eventually came to be written over each other giving rise to $" Here’s a cent for you: ¢.
Templo S.U.D. over 9 years ago
I would hate to ask, but is England also getting rid of their phone booths? Those are so iconic!
LeoAutodidact over 9 years ago
The one at our Post Office has been an empty shell for over five Years, now.
nosirrom over 9 years ago
I felt that way when they razed the Drive-in.
Jonni over 9 years ago
It was a plot by the phone company. They needed a way to get into the pocket of a plugger where the money is tightly held. No better way than to put the phone there and have it get chummy with the money.
willkepley over 9 years ago
So where will Superman change clothes?
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 9 years ago
Haven’t seen a pay phone in years, I was feeling nostalgic about them until Jo Clear brought up a VERY GOOD POINT! They certainly weren’t the cleanest things, to be sure!
Ginny Premium Member over 9 years ago
?Harry Ass Truman? Is that a misspell or a snotty comment about a fine president?
Ginny Premium Member over 9 years ago
I also feel sad about the loss of local mailboxes. I know, I know – they weren’t used enough, it’s more efficient to get rid of them, etc., but it’s just another piece of pleasant history that has bit the dust.
Frederick J Bradbury Premium Member over 9 years ago
I used to install and maintain pay phones and line lines back in the day when you rented the instrument from the phone company, and service was rated on 2-hour outage restoration and 12 hour other repairs – free.
neverenoughgold over 9 years ago
Our club still has a wooden phone booth on the lower level in what used to be called JJ’s restaurant. JJ Brackett was the postman who delivered mail in the area. Anyway, a few years ago, when the grandkids were little, one of them asked me what the “thing” was along the wall and pointed to the phone booth..When I explained what it was and how it was used, having grown up with techie parents, they didn’t fully comprehend. Then I referred to an early Superman film they enjoyed and it seemed to sink in. As we sat waiting for our lunch, the younger one just stared at the booth and would occasionally get up, walk over to it, and give it a closer examination. He would come back to the table and continue his surveillance..Just as our waitress arrived with lunch, I asked why he was so interested in the phone booth. He turned to grandpa and said, “I’m waiting for Superman to show up.”
platechick over 9 years ago
About 15 years ago a phone co guy had to come to the house and we were talking about antiques. He said the phone co had a big room with all the old phones, booths, etc and they were really cool. he wished he had grabbed a lot of the old stuff cuz they were eventually just dumped.
Caldonia over 9 years ago
Huh??? Then why aren’t they all totally dead by now?
Caldonia over 9 years ago
“Sheila! Ever heard of cell phones?”Noooooo! (Next: Sheila’s funeral)
MatureCanadian over 9 years ago
When the power goes out the only phone that works is the landline! Love it. ;)
pcolli over 9 years ago
I often wondered why the dollar was represented by an “S” with a line through it. Today, I found out..According to whacky-pedia:.“The symbol $, usually written before the numerical amount, is used for the U.S. dollar (as well as for many other currencies). The sign was the result of a late 18th-century evolution of the scribal abbreviation “ps” for the peso. The p and the s eventually came to be written over each other giving rise to $" Here’s a cent for you: ¢.