Telephone

I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said; "Telephones rush in where even fools fear to tread". I wonder what he would say about mobile/cell phones? Or would he be speechless.

The first telephone in my parents home was the old crank-handle type, crank the handle and the telephone operator would answer in the exchange; "Number please?". If you were lucky you were put through immediately if not they would call you back later.

There was something very human about that technology. You were actually talking to people, not to some disembodied computer generated voice.

The telephone exchange was the repository of the whole districts news, good or bad. A baby was born, every one knew within hours. Someone died, same story.

With today's technology we have instant access to people no matter where they are, but we are more isolated. You are not safe anywhere even if you switch your phone off, when you switch on, there's the message light flashing.

No time or place is sacred to cell phone, you hear them ringing in church, at weddings and funerals. People seem to think it's fine to interrupt a one on one conversation to answer their phone. The cell phone takes precedence over everyone and every thing.