I also remember when you picked up the phone and somebody said, "Number please." A few years later, we began seeing rotary dials. Back then, a popular joke was to call the drug store and ask them if they had Prince Albert in the can. Of course they did. So you said, "Well let him out before he smothers."

The you called a random number, identified yourself as "the power company," and asked the person if their refrigerator was running. Since the phone was unually in the living room, they would go back to the kitchen and then come back to say that it was. The reply was, "Well hang up the phone and go catch it."

People would fall for anything in those days. Caller ID put an end to such nonsense.

And have you ever heard of a party line? Several people would have the same phone line with slightly different numbers. Each one had an assigned ring. It might "Riiiiing Ding" or "Ding Ding Riiiiiing" or a simple "Ding Ding." You were supposed to answer only on you own ring, but what would be the fun in that? If you want to know how the telephone worked in the old days, watch Andy Griffin.

Long distance was a pain in the pocketbook as well as other areas. You called up the operator, gave her (always "her") the name of a city and a number, if you knew it. A name and address would also work. They would try to put the call through but often, the lines were already in use so you had to wait. Often they would call you back after a while and say, "I have your party now. Go ahead." The voice on the other end was weak and scratchy. Cell phone users did not invent the expression, "Can you hear me now?" The expession, "I think we have a bad connection," may be older than you think.

There were no satellites or microwave towers in those days. Long distance traveled over a copper wire. Relays along the way would boost the signal. There was a limited number of lines between cities. Large cities had hundreds of telephone lines, but small towns might not have but a half dozen. Overseas phone calls were only a dream. Often messages went by telegrams, usually limited to ten words. I think the internet is a big improvement over that.

Long messages usually were sent by mail. You went down to the post office and bought a 3 cent stamp, and a week later, Grandma read what you wrote. A post card was a penny. I can remember when Grandma's address was only two lines; just her name, and Dawson, WVa. There were no zip codes or area codes back then. A few larger cities used a zone number like this; Nashville 4, Tenn. That was a large area south of downtown. I think Nashville had 5 postal zones, but New York probably had many more. State abbreviations often had more than two letters.

And that, too, is history.
Howard