Before cell phones and before Purell I never thought twice about using a pay phone. Yeah, I’d look at the receiver before I put it to my ear but don’t recall getting all Felix Unger about it. Now I can’t remember the last time I used a pay phone, can you?
A few weeks ago, I had to explain to little guy what a pay phone was. After I was done, I finished with, "You'll probably never use one of these in your whole life."
Remember when it was a dime?
[2] So was a cup of coffee.
I used to have to use pay phones for hours on end. Now the thought of touching one gives me the creeps. When everyone used them and often, it was a shared experience. Now seldom used, they are perceived as Petri dishes.
Heck, I'm teaching advance legal research this semester, and I've got to teach the students about books. The actual paper thingies.
yeah, i think about this! i was real late in getting a cell phone. i used to have to keep change around my studio to use the pay phone there. i'd either call students or check my home voicemail to see if they left a message.
it was really bad when i had this 5-day/week studio gig 40 miles north of the city and had to drive on the highway during rush hour. traffic would be sooo bad and i'd have to pull off the road, buy something at the convenient store to get change, then call the producer at the studio to tell him i was running late! of course, the amount of time it took to get on/off the highway made me later...
i'm teaching a "click" class at school. i bring in my fancy - but apparently big & clunky - metronome to show the kids all the bells & whistles. i was shocked when they all answered "yes" when i asked if they owned a metronome. they all have one on their damn phones! unreal.
[3] Yes! Absolutely my thoughts as well. I also think that when they were plentiful and in steady use by everyone, it was a lot more rare to see one looking totally scuzzy.