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Happiness is the Bakelite phone

I’ve been out and about today. Long drive, crazy rush hour traffic, finally home, sit down, and the phone rings.

Do you all get that?

Last thing in the world I feel like answering is an 1-800 call asking me some impertinent questions; like who I will support in the upcoming election.

On the other hand, it could be Robbie, who’s in England at the moment, it could be one of my children, my mother, it could be a friend.

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But wait! I’m sitting in the living room beside my Bakelite phone.

Now my choices are these:
a) answer the Bakelite phone
b) get up, walk to the kitchen, look who’s calling, and answer (or not) the remote phone with caller id.

Of course, by the time I stir my stumps and run to the kitchen, the voice mail option will have picked up the line.

I look down at my Bakelite phone beside me and think, “stuff that for a game of soldiers, I’m not getting up.” and I pick it up.

It’s an automated Air Canada message telling me my number has been selected….blah, blah, blah…I hang up, but guess what!

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I’m happy! 😀

Usually I can see it’s a telemarketer, an unknown number, the office of some politician…etc…and it puts me in a defensive, slightly annoyed mood, like how dare they disturb my peace. I want to shout down the receiver, I want to hang up on the robotic entity who’s calling and make them feel how much they annoyed me.

But right now the big difference is: I can’t tell who’s calling so my hackles aren’t raised before I even say “hello”!

And it’s rather nice. 😀 I answer in a friendly way. I hang up mid-way thru the Air Canada message without feeling like I want to slam the phone down. Come to think of it, I can’t actually slam a remote phone down like I can slam the Bakelite phone down, but for some reason, right now I really don’t want to.

I’m all 1940’s glamour girl answering, “Roth 1383, can help you?” I’m Lauren Bacall! I’m Holly Golightly. I’m Grace Kelly, elegant and cool under pressure.

me imagined

And I think it’s because I love the anonymity of the phone call. I love the weight and blackness and old fashioned beauty of the phone. I love all these things, and it becomes a pleasure to use this appliance. Much nicer than the poxy remote phone,

Just as the phone rings Morgan decides she needs a cuddle and gives me her “I’m the cutest cat in the world in the cute cats of the word competition” look. And, with the size and weight of this phone in my lap, it seems it’s one or the other.

But as soon as I put the phone down, Morgan jumps down too.

Typical…lol.

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But I feel good, and think that I really must order adapters for the other two Bakelite phones.

Comments: 6

  • June 19, 2015
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    Wow, I bet the Bakelite does feel wonderful… Our phone here though shows no caller ID, now I think I get more scam calls on my mobile, and with that callers name hidden or unusual area code, I am ready for a short call! Lol mx

  • June 20, 2015
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    Hey, I got the same robocall from “Air Canada” — lol

  • June 20, 2015
    reply

    Hey V great post, that phone brings back memories. And yes, they are so good to slam down! Hilarious .. They are also easy to cradle, don’t get lost, and sure you never know whose calling.. But ???? oh Morgan is too cute! Hugs

  • June 20, 2015
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    Oh and they look so cool!

  • June 21, 2015
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    Now I’m all nostalgic and want one for myself. 🙂

  • daryledelstein

    June 23, 2015
    reply

    NYC has had two serious black outs and after the second one when our not landline phone didn’t work i got a princess style bakelite phone tho it might be plastic and it sits in a closet waiting to be useful … but in our apartment if the phone rings i dont answer … 99.99% of the time its a client of toonman’s, the other .1% its likely to be some automated nonsense …. x

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