Kim Rodrigues Poet Light Verse

The Old Rotary

*PV - Proverbial Verbiage

The Old Rotary

Dialing out…zzzzip…zzzzzzzip…zzzzzzzip
and
zip…zzip…zzzip…zzzzip
and brring…

long distance was not a thing
for children. they could only
ring those within their corridor

ching…ching
money didn’t grow on trees
the grown up made sure
we were wise

or they’d wise up
our behinds

but we didn’t even try
a bit smarter back then

smarting at smaller things
like
eating Mr. McGregor’s produce
throwing
stones at cars
but
we kept our hands
off the old man’s
cookie jar (PV)
rang Grandma
once a year (PV)

It was more fun to dial out
but by then a burglar
tied you up (PV)

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Duke Beaufort June 4, 2024 at 5:39 AM Kim, reminders of a different era. I still have a rotary phone on a desk as an antique. It's fun to let people play with it. It's amazing how we did have to limit our time back then. Long distance calls were quite pricey. Kim Rodrigues June 11, 2024 at 5:20 PM They are fun to play with!

Gershon Wolf June 3, 2024 at 7:19 PM Whoa. Brings back loads of memories of long-distance calling 'back in the day.' I used to call my Mom in Chicago (home) from New Hampshire on Sunday evenings when rates were down. But as soon as 2.5 minutes hit, I could hear my dad in the background yelling, "Get off, Mac, get off. It's gonna be more than 3 minutes." Amazing my dad was not a 'bean-counter,' eh?! lol. (Dad called Mom, 'Mac' --- short for 'Maxine!). Kim Rodrigues June 4, 2024 at 5:26 AM Thanks for sharing your memory with me! When I was in Hawaii, I would get a once a week short call from my Mom and Dad too. I was pretty much on my own except for that smile of a phone call. Not long enough to discuss anything…just a hello and goodbye, right…sigh. Today people are tied to their phones…the old ball and chain fruition. LOL

Paige Hind June 3, 2024 at 4:14 PM Before my time, but still a lot of fun to read- cool writing hugs xx Kim Rodrigues June 4, 2024 at 5:30 AM For all the youth…to live through the days of yore. We’d put our finger in the numbered dial and circle it around and let go seven times or more for long distance. Seems so long ago.

Yann Rolland June 2, 2024 at 4:58 AM i used one rotary phone, not so long go, in the 90s, things change so quick, enjoyed your very creative poem, thanks Kim Rodrigues June 2, 2024 at 6:00 AM Now they are antiques. Thank you, Yann! :)

David Crandall June 1, 2024 at 4:02 PM Nice poem, Kim, really brings back memories (brring). We had only one phone, mounted to the wall in the kitchen, not very private. In those days, if someone was on the other side of Los Angeles, it was too far to car. Now, I can pick up the phone and call my friend in South Korea. Kim Rodrigues June 2, 2024 at 6:03 AM Now kids can have too private conversations…lol. I don’t think the ones I had reached too far. It is cool that we can communicate with people around the world. My sis in law stayed with us one summer and the bill was crazy…but she did pay it off…thankfully. We didn’t have that kind of money. Thank you, David!

Kelly Deschler June 1, 2024 at 10:40 AM A fun poem and so nostalgic... Things sure have changed since then. I remember my family having a rotary telephone when I was very young ... Keep up the great writing, Kim :) Kim Rodrigues June 1, 2024 at 1:29 PM Thank you, Kelly!