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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

Date: 6/4/2024 5:39:00 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
Date: 6/11/2024 5:20:00 PM

They are fun to play with!

Gershon Wolf

Date: 6/3/2024 7:19:00 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
Date: 6/4/2024 5:26:00 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

Date: 6/3/2024 4:14:00 PM

Before my time, but still a lot of fun to read- cool writing hugs xx

Kim Rodrigues
Date: 6/4/2024 5:30:00 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

Date: 6/2/2024 4:58:00 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
Date: 6/2/2024 6:00:00 AM

Now they are antiques. Thank you, Yann! :)

David Crandall

Date: 6/1/2024 4:02:00 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
Date: 6/2/2024 6:03:00 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

Date: 6/1/2024 10:40:00 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
Date: 6/1/2024 1:29:00 PM

Thank you, Kelly!