Phone A Friend

I was going to comment on Debbie's post about phone calls, but thought since I had more than two lines to write, it warranted a post of it's own over here.

She wrote she felt a little bummed because she does a lot of the calling when it comes to getting play dates together for her kids and such.

It really had me thinking.  Especially the part about pride.  I never call people.  Never.  Ok, very very rarely.  And I know my hubby and kids read this so they will be nodding their heads up and down in agreement here.....I hate the phone and avoid it with a passion.  Gregg and I will talk on the phone because he's my husband and he's out of town for weeks on end and that's the only way we can have sex....I mean talk about our daily lives and what goes on with the kids.  My oldest daughter has moved out and I will talk to her on the phone, and sometimes it will be long conversations but mostly it's to say what we have to say and then off I get.  Which reminds me, she called and left a message and I have yet to get back to her.  Darn.  I'm just not a phone person and I don't know why.

Maybe it stems from childhood because, you know, doesn't everything.  My earliest recollection of the phone was what they called a party-line.  Yep, three or four different families all on one line.  You could, at any time, pick up the phone and you'd hear Martha Mae on the other line talking about Cindy Lou down the road and what a bag she was.  I would walk in the kitchen sometimes and catch my mother listening in to other people's conversations and remember really thinking bad of her for doing that.  Yes, even as a child I thought a person's privacy was sacred.

Then when the party-lines got taken out and we had our own private line, we were never allowed to really use the phone.  We happened to live 'just' outside the vicinity of where my friends were so the phone calls were long distance and there was no money for any long distance phone bills back then.  So I just never talked on the phone.

When I moved in with my sister she was the one who was always on the phone and when I moved out on my own shortly after that, I didn't have a phone for the first little while because I didn't feel the need for one.

Then I met and married my husband.  A guy who will break his neck running down the stairs looking for the phone because he hears it ringing and HAS to answer it.  You wanna see a normally passive guy come unglued?  Have him run all over the house looking for the phone that's ringing only to discover it sitting on the coffee table you're sitting beside.  He gets cranky when that happens.  I get amused.

So when Debbie wrote that she seemed to be the only one who calls, it kind of made me think.  Is that why a lot of people don't call me anymore?  Because, surely it's not my charming personality they are avoiding right?  Ok kidding.  I'll get emails inviting me out so I know friends still want to visit with me, but very rarely phone calls.  Have I complained about phone calls so much to everyone that they now think they can't call me?  And how funny is that if that's what they're thinking?  I mean, a quick call is nothing.  I can do quick calls.  As a matter of fact, I, me, Joy, have called people on their birthday's, asked them how they're doing, wished them a happy birthday and gotten off the phone in a matter of 2 minutes.  I'm sure they're sitting there thinking "What the hell just happened" but good friends who know me and receive those calls know it's with love.  Just quick happy birthday love.

So for heaven's sake go to the phone today.  Go right now and phone a friend.  Phone a friend who usually does all the phoning and surprise the hell out of them.  Phone Debbie even :o)

Comments

[Emily]

I love talking on the phone. I don't know why...just always have. And, yes, I stop calling my friends that never call me. It makes me think that I'm the only one making an effort in the friendship. But if they e-mailed me that would be fine. So just keep that up!

[sher]

I love reading your posts! You're just naturally funny! I don't talk on the phone much either. I do most of my communication by e-mail, I must admit. I usually call the people who don't have a computer. By the way, I rmeember party lines. My grandma had one and I hated the whole idea! :)

[Heather]

I do like talking on the phone but I never get around to doing the calling. Some of my friends I avoid calling because if I do I know we'll be on the phone for a good hour. Most days I don't have an hour to give.

We had the party lines too when I was a kid. We had a neighbor that always listened in on our phone calls...very annoying!!

[Steffi]

I am not good at talking on the phone.Longer is speak only with my parents or my sister on the phone because they live away from us.I prefer more e-mails,...

[penney]

ugggg party lines. I hated those with a passion. I'm ok on the phone with people i know well but if not i do those 2 minute calls like you Joy. :) I email like crazy tho and i do alot of that old fashioned thing called snail mail. lol

[Sheryl]

Joy, I have known you for how long? And I just found out this minute, you do have a phone! hahaha

[Sirdar]

I remember party lines. Used to listen to two guy watch TV together. That was exciting!! :lol:

I need to call people more.

[Sirdar]

I can post again....YAAAAAA!!!! :-)

[Debbie]

Okay, since Sirdar was able to comment I'll give it a try....

[Debbie]

Yeah!! I'm so darn excited! I can comment again.

I remember party lines. We didn't have one, but a couple of friends did. How annoying to hear the phone ringing all of the time, then have to stop and listen for the number of rings, only to realize that it's not for you.

Even though, I am a phone person, I will not break my neck trying to get to the phone. If I'm busy, I'll just let it ring. Especially since half the time it's solicitators.

"Phone Debbie even"...oh ha ha. :)