Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-10
WHAT THEY WANT
OVER THE TELEPHONE
GirIs At Tho switehboards Get All
Sorts Of Requests.

In human interest story the cur
rent issue Of the Telephone Bulletin
gives an inside view OF some Of the
experiences that come to the operators
In their dealings with the public. In
part It Is as follows:
Once IN a while, but not as often
as in the distant past, appears the
man who wants to hirt with the OPP
orator. Re takes down his receiver
Kddo,' or Good dearie," or
How is the little girl to-day?' To
all OF which the operator replies,
Number, pleaser' II he gets too
tnsistent she will connect him with
the chief operator and he can pour
As soon, however, as he hears a male
voice he telephonically beats it,
Telephone operators would, Of
course, never flirt. besides how do
they know but that the chief or a
supervisor is listening ION her
headT - by which we mean that the
operators telephones are so wired
that they can be listened on by some
one in authority without their knowl-
edge. This is an effectual preven-
tive measure.
AS you know, we tell what time it
time it is, but we don't want to tell
1t every five minutes to the same
person, and we do think that st is
thoughtless Of the subscriber in a
little country office to call a night
poerator, who sleeps at or o'clock
in tee morning. and asks her what
time 1T is.
Want to Know the Time.
A case occurs to US that happened
in just such an office. The exchange
in question has, in the summer sea-
1av No. RR al
users. One Of them greatly an
noyed the one operator on duty by
asking the time at unearthly hours
like a. m. Finally, she began to
feel the strain, and feeling that an
explanation was due said to the Gus
ter? Haven't you got a watch or a
clock?' "Oh. yes" replied the sub
scriber, II got. a clock. Just wanted
to get my moneys worth of the tele-
Wifey At the Movies.
The subscriber who calls his house
and in reply to the operators re-
Ring them again. I know there
is someone there" is the pest of the
telephone operators. Upon a second
or third report of Don't answer"
he calls the information operator OF
the chief operator and bitterly COM
pia1nS OF tne service, saying InaI ne
can never depend on his telephone
The chief tries his telephone and OF
couse, gets the same report.
Goes this make him feel any
more kindly toward the services
Not on your life? When he gets
home and tells wiley all about II
does she help out the company? Not
noticeabIy. She has probably spent
the afternoon at the movies, though
she has been told by hubby that he
considers that no way for a lady to
spend her time, that she should be
home keeping his home for him. So
she simply says. Why: isn't that fun;
the telephone service has got an
other black eye.
The Practical Joker.
The funny man. is another pest
to other subscribers. He is the man
who calls you up and wants you to
see if the street lamp on your corner
is lighted. II you fall for it, he says
"Now, go and blow it out" laughs
heartily, and hangs up the telephone
Does the person called get angry with
the man who made the trouble? Nc
He gets the chief operator and In
indignant tones demands that the
company protect him from nonsense
Another good joke is to call some
one out of bed in the night or early
morning. (Some Norwich people from
experience will appreciate the last).
information on Fires.
When the fire bell rings the Local
number of the box and its location, but
she cannot tell whose property is burn
ing down. We don't know,and If we
did we wouldn't have time to give II
out, the calls come in so rapidly.
The audible fire alarm is certainly 9
hrvH 90 Na.A al
the people who inquired about the fire
| were legitimately anxious for theil
property 1t would be different. but as 9
matter of fact it is mostly idle curios-
| ity. About once in so often we get 6
bitter complaint that We do not give
| more information regarding a fire.
This heavy rush of traffic caused by
hundreds of persons wanting centra
at once is a. serious proposition to oul
operators. Prize fights. baseball games
/ and boat races formerly brought many
| inquiries for the score or the winner
service in the interest of those whit
had legitimate use for the telephone a
such times. rs there any school 2
was another inquiry that we ar
| obliged to stop answering. The hooC
Of calls form this cause came abou
SIS O'Clock in the morning. before on
entire operating force was assembled
and we simply could not cope with it.
Not an Alarm Clock.
1 Then there is the man who wants Il
use the company as a call boy ant
have uss"Call him early in the morn
ing, call him early, mother, dear" TO
he wants to catch a train. With alarm
clocks at 60 cents, and clock making .
| prominent Connecticut industry, !
would be unfair for us to try and com
pete with the clockmakers. Besides
4 there Is the responsibility involves
i which, the company ought not to under
Iitake. Should thesman miss his train b.
would presumably have lost thousand
| of dollars in a business deal, and we
Of course, would be responsible. H
mightshave,been7 going stosBranfords IL