Years ago I heard a radio spot about the shutting down of the last manually-switched phone exchange in America. You know…you’ve seen old movies with banks of operators sitting at plug-in switchboards, right?
The interviewer had made prior arrangements to record the call she was going to make to this small Midwest town. She dialed “0” for the operator and asked to be connected long-distance to the town. The operator asked for the number and was told … 2.
After a long pause, the operator said “That is not a complete number”. Then a supervisor came on the line and said it was OK. Even over the radio you could almost hear the operator shrug her shoulders as she put the call through.
The answering number was a pay-phone in a store. The store owner didn’t know how long they had had the number except it was already there when his family took over about 40 years earlier, but he suspected it went back to the beginning of the store 70 years before.
Superfrog over 13 years ago
Rings a Bell.
mrbribery over 13 years ago
Now to invent the voice mail menu!
alviebird over 13 years ago
Judging by that expression, he’s already got your number.
pschearer Premium Member over 13 years ago
Years ago I heard a radio spot about the shutting down of the last manually-switched phone exchange in America. You know…you’ve seen old movies with banks of operators sitting at plug-in switchboards, right?
The interviewer had made prior arrangements to record the call she was going to make to this small Midwest town. She dialed “0” for the operator and asked to be connected long-distance to the town. The operator asked for the number and was told … 2.
After a long pause, the operator said “That is not a complete number”. Then a supervisor came on the line and said it was OK. Even over the radio you could almost hear the operator shrug her shoulders as she put the call through.
The answering number was a pay-phone in a store. The store owner didn’t know how long they had had the number except it was already there when his family took over about 40 years earlier, but he suspected it went back to the beginning of the store 70 years before.
End of an era.
Colt9033 over 13 years ago
Thanks pschearer, that was fasinating. I always like hearing real historical stories.
Rwill over 13 years ago
When I was a kid we were still on a party line.
Not a fun as it sounds.
Larry Miller Premium Member over 13 years ago
Nope, party lines were not a party at all.
syke34 over 13 years ago
1 That’s his voice mail.
fritzoid Premium Member over 13 years ago
“Watson, venga aquí. Te quiero. Sorry, I pressed ‘2’ by mistake…”