The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-01-28
AND
MaGefNG
BIZ VICTOR MEEklNS
WHEN THE TELEPHONE
BECOMES A NUISANCE

Of all the great blessings which
in addition to great service to
humanity generally, and are so es-
sential to the development and
conduct of business, the telephone
can be a most aggravating thing.
Needlessly aggravating at times
because of the thoughtlessness of
human beings.
The telephone aggravates fell
low who is trying to sleep, or who
is trying to get bit of rest when
someone calls him at his house to
ask him about a minor detail,
which information can only be
supplied at the office several
miles away. 1t is bad for the fell
low who lives on party line,
when he attempts to call his home,
or attempts to call from his home,
to find the line is tied up by some
interminable talker who can chat
for hours about nothing Of any
particular Importance to anything
in the world. Such thoughtless
people seem to forget that other
people on the line, sometimes as
many as IA subscribers are paying
a plenty high rate for the privil-
eye of getting a word in occasion
ally.
Then there are people who
haven't ever had a course in tele-
phone manners and customs; ap-
parently with little to do but al
ways be calling up somewhere to
chat with someone who is work
ing. These people never stop to
think how much is entailed when
they call an office, and ask that
a person be brought to the phone
for their convenience. Someone
has to stop his work, go for the
person asked for, who must also
stop his work and use up someone
else's time to chatter for minutes
about nothing of Importance to
anyone else. Thoughtless people
never stop to think that for this
needless pastime, they are tieing
up telephone line that is essen
tial for the use of the business
and its customers, and costing
money as we'll.
The telephone could be a more
happily useful item, if people
would dispense with it for visiting
purposes. Visiting on the tele-
phone must be mighty trivial
when people wish to discuss every
thing imaginable where others not
concerned are privileged to listen
in, and often do eavesdrop. Some
times eavesdroppers render gar
bled accounts of snatches of con-
versation they pick up, and do
harm now and then that if not
inestimable, is often irrevocable.
Of all the silly and idle habits
I can think of none more stupid
than the constant practice indulg-
gu III ny pSOplC WIN NlolI 4OI IlOui :
daily on the telephone. I think ii
is completely excusable for shut
ms, and is a fine thing for people
to call up the sick if the sick wish
to hear them, that is, if they have
something cheerful to say. Other
wise, telephone conversations
should be brief, terse, complete
and terminated as quickly as
courtesy will permit.
A fellow doesn't like to hang up
on anyone, even if they keep on
saying for the fourth time what
they called about. There are peo-
pie who cannot terminate a tele-
phone conversation, any more than
some preachers can extricate
themselves from a long prayer
which they wade into over their
heads. Everynow and then l used
to get called up by person who
was like that. After questions
were asked, there was never a
pause so that an answer could be