E.V. and Mary (Mammy) Bennett were my maternal grandparents. Mammy was the most devout Christian I have ever known. E.V. had a negative view of the telephone. In the 1940's most neighborhoods had 'party-line' telephone service. When wishing to telephone someone, you picked up the receiver and a 'live' operator would ask, "Number, please?" You gave her the number and she connected the call. Sometimes when picking up the receiver, you would hear a conversation between two people; that's because one was 'on' your party line. You could hang up or eavesdrop if you like. I never listened. I was not interested in gallstone surgery, grown kids who didn't visit their parents or which neighbor's dog was crapping on someone's petunias.
I do remember how happy the women folks were when we got a private telephone line. The ladies could stay on the phone for longer periods of time and use the phone more frequently. Gossip would know no boundaries because your phone conversations were private. E. V. would often say, "Mary, that telephone is the devil's device."
Today with social media, we seem to keep very little private. Today, we wish for everyone to know (at all times) where we are, what we are doing and with whom we are ignoring while we text others and send pictures to verify our life experiences.
I wonder what Grandpa E.V. Would say about my smart phone and iPad?
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