20.Sep.2008 How the telephone has changed my life

I used to live in the same house as everyone I wanted to converse with. But modern times being the way they are, I soon had to leave my family’s house and interact with non-relatives who did not share my residence. As you are well aware, this is a great challenge. But one I quickly learned to overcome.

With gas in my automobile and hope in my heart, I ventured to the neighborhood drug store and purchased a telephone. Within minutes, and for only a meager investment, I was hooked into an infinite web of communication possibilities.

Gone were the days of shouting things in the hopes that my intended party would hear me! I could pick up a handset, dial a number, and reach my intended party directly.

No more licking stamps (which now stick on their own — a topic for another day!). And sandwich boards? A thing of the past! With a telephone, I could communicate more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

At first I was a little frightened by the strange bell sound it would emit throughout the day. Imagine my delight when I discovered it was the telephone “ringing,” letting me know that someone who also had a telephone wanted to converse!

Now that I knew how to use a telephone, a world of possibilities opened up to me.
I phoned several businessmen and proposed they pay me to use my telephone to benefit them. Within a matter of days, I had nine clients.

The telephone allowed me to conduct business from my home that previously would have required me to leave the house! Soon I discovered a model of telephone that did not make use of a cord. Unbound, I quickly realized that I could complete household chores, perhaps dressed only in my bloomers, and my speaking partner would be unaware.

It is now three years later. Each morning, as I crack my knuckles in preparation for a long day of dialing, I marvel at how such a small piece of machinery could change my life so much. If only others would harness the power of the telephone, then they too could realize their dreams.

For another take on the marvels of modernity, click here, and scroll down to “How the Internet Changed My Writing Life.”