Difficult phone calls

I would think that most folks have phone calls that they will always remember.

It was late at night and I was awakened by the phone ringing. My mom was very upset - I cannot believe it - she said. My first thought was of her mom who at that time was a good age. No - it was my dad who had died very suddenly when on a fishing trip.

My first phone calls after hearing this news were to 2 close friends. They both offered to come over to be with me but I told them that I was o.k. I was certainly in a daze.

I was picked up a few hours later and brought back to Lachute.

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Then early one morning I was awakened by the phone ringing. It was from the nursing home where my mom was. She had died very peacefully during the night. This was not unexpected.

My first call was to my sister in a time zone three hours earlier. She did not get much sleep that night. Then I phoned the funeral home and when I told the director my name, he asked whether I was related to Kathi. I told him I was and he said they had been in the same class at school.

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I was dealing with Bishop’s serious illness when on a planned trip to Kathi’s. I was already expecting the bad news. Bishop really was very sick. It was almost a relief to get the phone call that there was nothing else that could be done for him.

Phone calls and phones

Thinking about talking led me to think about phone calls and phones.

Since I have been retired and at home more, I often get annoying sales calls. They start off being very personal - how are you Mrs. Milnes. I am on to them right away. No - I am not interested in what you are selling.

Then there are the calls from friends whose voice you do not easily recognize. They start talking and then you realize who it is.

Then there are the sad and difficult calls when someone has died. When my dad died it was so unexpected. When my mom died it was less so. More recently I know some of the same emotions about death when I had a phone call about Bishop’s condition.

I do remember one of the last phone calls I had on my last day of work. I was on the circulation desk at lunchtime. This was a place to keep up with my French language skills because you never knew what language someone would use. The person started in French and I knew what they wanted but I had already forgotten how to use the various computer applications. I kindly explained that this was my last day. The person said - do you want me to change to English. I said that was not the problem - going to retire I had already forgotten all about the detailed library procedures.

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Now folks start to ask you - can I contact you on your cell phone? No - I do not have one. I wonder when I may feel the need for one. I manage quite well with my voice mail at home.

I changed my phone line to touch tone some years ago. It certainly helps when trying to contact various businesses.

I was looking at the amount on my latest phone bill to try and figure out what all the charges were for. Then I looked at changing my long distance options but it was so complicated and there are so many packages available. I gave up for now.

If you watch old movies as I do, it is interesting to watch the progression of the phones used. The styles change. Movies from the early 20th century - they have a phone - surprise! Now in the murder mystery programs I watch often cell phones are much in use. How did they do their business before the age of cell phones?

Let us talk

One of the first things Walter told me about Abra - you can talk to her; she is used to that. So I do talk to her often. I have heard others talking to her as well - you are a good mare. She likes that and I think her ears perk up a bit.

Sorry I cannot talk with you now - a long time friend said to me. Can we meet up later on? That sounded good to me.

It so good to talk with you - a friend said. We had been playing telephone tag - leaving messages and not connecting.

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On another local note, the two sides in the transit dispute are talking. As someone said - this is the only way we can work out our differences. Hopefully this will get settled soon.