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Number, Please?
Posted On: 02/10/2022 22:09:53

While watching the news this evening, it gave me an idea for a new blog from me. I do enjoy writing but the last couple of months have been filled with ‘other things’, and my list of ‘no-no’ topics that won’t be entertained by me is getting longer. I try not to be a ‘negative’ person. There is too much of that these days.

Back to the news this evening… a town in the northern part of our province has announced that the last pay telephone in town will be retired, because it had only been used about ten times the past year. Following that announcement, the news broadcast stated that there are still 700 payphones in use in our province. I guess this is an important and newsworthy item for this second week in February! We even got to hear the sound of coins dropping in the coin box. Wow! That was exciting! OK… I didn’t promise not to be sarcastic!

Payphones were important in my younger days. There were many reasons that we needed to make a phone call when away from home. We had no idea that we would have a phone in our pocket in our lifetime. We didn’t even have a phone without a long cord in our home, limiting our ability to wander through the house while talking… and talking! In my young life, my parents didn’t have a house phone for a number of years before moving to the city. During the three years of my nursing training, our phone calls were sent and received through a switchboard, operated by one of our house-mothers. It wasn’t much better on my first nursing job in a small hospital following graduation. To make even a local call, we would be greeted by the local telephone operator who greeted us with “Number, please!” She would then plug in a cord to connect the caller to the receiver. We depended on her quick response, even in the middle of the night, when we needed to contact the local doctor because of an emergency or a baby about to arrive.

This evening, I was reminded of a incident involving a payphone that caused me some embarrassing moments, and later a giggle and some teasing. I was dating the telephone crew boss at the time (he’s still my best friend after 58 years of marriage). On one occasion, we had travelled to the next town and for some reason I needed to call the matron of the hospital. He drove me to the phone booth and sat in the car, while I made the call. I didn’t have a nickel or a dime (and 5-cent or 10-cent coin) so I deposited a quarter (25-cent coin). My call was very short, and I became frustrated that the phone wasn’t giving me the change. After banging on the receiver hook and the return coin bin, I returned to the car to complain that the phone wasn’t working. That was when I learned that a payphone doesn’t give refunds.

Of course it doesn’t! What was I thinking?

Tags: Telephone Operators Memories



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Viewing 1 - 4 out of 4 Comments

02/13/2022 20:27:55

So you discovered that pay phones don't give out change too??!! We were a lot more careful with our money in those days. Being able to use a public payphone as a teen made a lot of difference as to if I was walking 3 miles or my Dad would come and pick me up. I must add that in those days, it wasn't dangerous for girls to be walking  (even distances)... young men had a lot more respect for the ladies than what we see today. During my nursing training years, it was about a 40 minute walk from downtown (where we shopped and enjoyed a stop at a 'coffee house') to our Residence, and we didn't have very much money. Our children didn't have a cell phone, but they knew that we expected a phone call from them when they were about to be heading for home in our rural location. We knew how long it would take, and if they were still not home, we would go and look for them. It paid off a number of times.


nightfall wrote:

So much has changed hasn't it? We had to depend on the pay phone and I know you recall they were almost everywhere. For a long time there was the phone booth. Then the next change was just the pay phone. You would get pretty wet if it was raining making a call. Growing up we never had a phone without a cord. When I was really young it was the party line.
Unfortunately pay phones didn't give out change.



02/13/2022 20:14:56

Thanks so much for your comment ... I had no idea that the cells were available for deaf people. I am enjoying the technology that helps for 'word-recognition' challenges. I don't need the volume, I need enunciation from a speaker (or wish they would get the 'sock' out of their mouth before talking to me). Now the hearing aides make speak almost crystal clear. 



azjudy wrote:

🎵Love this.🎵 Memories🎵  🎵  It was only about 20 years ago that carrying cell phones for texting become common among the deaf.  For years and until about 1986,  Phones were deaf people had to search for a kind-hearted stranger, a friend, or a family member to make our voiced phone calls. I have some funny incidents because of that "way of life" at that time.  I thank God I saw the day when deaf people could just dial a number and get a relay operator.  We can even sign/talk on video calls to friends and family members who can sign.  
Have a blessed day.
Judy

                



02/13/2022 13:51:51
🎵Love this.🎵 Memories🎵  🎵  It was only about 20 years ago that carrying cell phones for texting become common among the deaf.  For years and until about 1986,  Phones were deaf people had to search for a kind-hearted stranger, a friend, or a family member to make our voiced phone calls. I have some funny incidents because of that "way of life" at that time.  I thank God I saw the day when deaf people could just dial a number and get a relay operator.  We can even sign/talk on video calls to friends and family members who can sign.  
Have a blessed day.
Judy

                


02/11/2022 05:20:39

So much has changed hasn't it? We had to depend on the pay phone and I know you recall they were almost everywhere. For a long time there was the phone booth. Then the next change was just the pay phone. You would get pretty wet if it was raining making a call. Growing up we never had a phone without a cord. When I was really young it was the party line.
Unfortunately pay phones didn't give out change.




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