THE Call

THE Call

I have been reminded recently how many “lost days” in my life have been totally wasted waiting for THE Call.

Before cell phones, it was the yellow handset in our kitchen.

It was THE phone I first learned “my number” on when phone numbers were partially letters. (BTW it was UL2-7117 and my Grandma Bootie’s # was FA1-4335) I could hear it all the way across the park and in the schoolyard next to our house and would stop EVERYTHING whenever I heard it ring knowing that “it was for me”. Perhaps it was my Dad, either of my grandparents or perhaps someone else offering me an alternative to whatever the heck it was I was doing at the time. The phone did not ring too often.

When I started my businesses I had tape machines that took messages, that later, from even payphones  I could point a device into the receiver to replay THE Call or still later insert a special code, even from overseas. Always waiting with anticipation for THE Call that would shift me out of whatever current situation I was experiencing. “Did the owner’s financing come through?” – “Did the Subs show up?” – “Were deposits made?”…”Permits?”…”New Client?” …etc…..sitting on pins and needles until answers could be had. Later I would await calls from my kids telling me about their days and what was happening at home but more often than not I was “too busy to talk” so as not to miss THE Call and let those calls get shorter and shorter.

 My 1^st cell phone only worked in my car as the unit fit in the trunk. My next one was a briefcase sized thing with a shoulder strap which looked stupid but I thought was techno-cool and well, you know how they’ve shrunk since then. What has not shrunk is this over riding cloud that seems to follow me in the ethers or wi-fi signals that continually tell me that I must carry this contraption to ensure I don’t miss THE Call.  “Is it charged? , charged enough?“ , “How many bars am I getting ?”

 We have had the great fortune to have our beautiful Grand-daughter with us for the summer and despite decades of knowledge I found myself patting my pocket too be sure the phone was there as we left this morning for a walk and scooter ride. Ugh.

THE Call may never come but, The Calling never stops.