In The Know
© By Grady L. Duncan
5/12/02
"Operator! Hello, Operator!
"Please connect me with Mr. Jones,"
was the way we made connections,
on our first telephone.
We were on a "Party Line",
we shared with neighbors and friends.
When one Party was talking,
the others could listen in.
When someone on the line,
got a telephone call,
everyone would know it,
for the phones rang, one and all.
As best as I can recall,
our ring was, two shorts and a long.
But, that was long ago,
and I may, for once, be wrong.
The operator on the switchboard,
got all of the local news,
enjoying every little tidbit,
thus, the Devil got his dues.
Then we all got numbers,
and a dial was on the phone,
and when it would ring,
it was ours and ours alone.
We still had the "Party Line",
and they could still listen in,
but that happened less often.
It was only now and then.
No more switchboard operator.
She was no more in the know.
If you needed to reach her,
you had to dial the "O".
Now things are quite different.
There's no end to what you can do.
In this electronic age,
each day there's something new.
You can buy all of these gadgets,
at your favorite local store,
but, they become obsolete,
before you get them out the door.
We now have, computers for email,
mobil phones for the car.
and Global Positioning Systems,
to tell us where we are.
We now, depend on them,
and use them so often,
the next thing you know,
there'll be a GPS in each coffin.
( Think about that one!!! )
