This afternoon I was editing some family videos and came across this short clip of my nine-year-old son intrigued by a rotary phone he encountered at the Mark Twain museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Wanders Jr. Meets a Rotary Phone
One of Mary Worth's favorite props is a telephone. When this strip first started, Mary had to ask the operator to connect her to the local exchange. Now, she has a hip little gray pocket phone.
This afternoon I was editing some family videos and came across this short clip of my nine-year-old son intrigued by a rotary phone he encountered at the Mark Twain museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
This afternoon I was editing some family videos and came across this short clip of my nine-year-old son intrigued by a rotary phone he encountered at the Mark Twain museum in Hannibal, Missouri.
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13 comments:
Wanders, your son is adorable!
Your son is so cute!
Given the look on Mary Worth's face, a boy his age shouldn't be listening to whatever she's about to say.
He is VERY cute, that Wanders Junior!
Your mention of the Mark Twain museum made me think of a quote which could easily be Scott's platitude (or aphorism) for today's strip.
"Both marriage and death ought to be welcome; the one promises happiness, doubtless the other assures it." - Mark Twain
It's funny when he tries to push-button the numbers! I weirdly miss the textural sensations of a rotary on my fingertips, but was much too young to long-term bond with it before push buttons came through.
What a cutie pie!!! When I was your son's age it was in the sixties and we had a four-digit phone number and what was called a "party line". You would pick up the phone and maybe hear your next-door neighbor talking on the phone with someone. So then you'd politely hang up and wait your turn! (It was very, very rare, but oh so exciting if in that brief span of time you maybe actually heard...a SWEAR word! Oh, my!
Most kids have never encountered a rotary dial phone. There's a rotary phone still in my dad's house, he finds he can hear better on it than the cordless phones in the house.
My 12- and 15-year old kids actually knew what a rotary phone was, when I asked.
Here's the funny part: my 12-year-old said, "Well, either it's one of those old-fashioned phones, or it has to do with a rodeo."
I will chime in as well with how cute and engaging your son is. And what he did with the phone was completely logical.
When I met my husband, who is a decade older than me and from Maine (I am fifth generation Brooklyn), I was stunned to learn that as late as the early sixties, he could pick up the phone and say to the operator, "Jennie, do you know where my Mom is?" On the other hand, my mom was a telephone operator in her teens, and she and her co-workers used to listen into celebrities' phone calls when they were bored.
And another thing I remember from this time--our mail was delivered twice a day!!! Another BIG change was the inroduction of zip codes!
And let me tell you, having to memorize seven-digit phone numbers, and 5 digit zip codes had people a grumblin'. Quite a strain on the brain!
Having spent several days at scout camp with wanders, jr., I can assure all y'all that he's still a great kid. Pretty quiet, pretty reserved, but a solid kid all the way around.
Must be Mrs. wanders' influence, right? That's at least how it works at the wheelhead household.
--wheelhead
What a coincidence that Jeff tries to push-button a stone at breakfast today!
But I can understand his struggle. It seems technology advanced away from rotary far too quickly. Wanders, has your junior offered you a teaching moment about texting? Mine have.
The rest of Jeff's conversation with Adrian: "Daddy, I think Scott's monitors aren't working properly. All the little squiggly lines are just straight. I'm trying to figure out how to reboot these silly things. Is there a button or something I should push?"
My husband and I are going on vacation for a week to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (which is actually next month).
I'll certainly TRY to keep up with Scott's prognosis, but may not be posting. Take care, all! --Vicki
*** Congrats on 30 years, Mr. and Mrs. Vicki!
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