The Telephone

I remember looking forward to visiting my grandparents and playing games with my cousins on my grandpa's old pay phone. We used to think it was the coolest thing to play with such an old phone. After speaking with my grandfather, it was interesting to learn from first hand experience how the telephone has evolved since he worked at a phone company.

My grandpa worked as a supervisor for General Telephone Company. He started out repairing and installing home phone lines and ended up in marketing. During his time at General Telephone Company, he saw dial phones, landlines, and even mobile phones develop. He said he's just now getting used to relying so much on a cell phone and has just gotten into texting his kids and grandchildren.

It was funny listening to him talk about cell phones today because he used to be an expert on phones back then and now he's asking us how to navigate through his own phone. My grandpa was asking about the hashtag and joked, "back in my day, that was just the pound key!"

Back then, the telephone used to be an important technology and now he thinks the cell phone is almost too convenient for people. As we gather for Thanksgiving, all the cousins and even the aunts and uncles have their phone in an arms reach. I'm sure my Grandpa misses the times where the telephone was attached the wall and no one answered the phone during dinner.