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Living Rural - www.livingrural.net

Anecdotal stories, observations,comments and discussion pieces as insights into living in Rural Australia

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Living Rural - March 2008

It's for You - Telephonists

March 1st 2008 02:25

Across the miles - communication

When I first went out into the country to work – in the early ‘70’s (OK that gives away my age) the main form of communication was the land line telephone – and, believe it or not, there was still a human (usually female) operator who would make the connections. Coming from the city I was not that familiar with such workings, so I was duly warned by my flatmate to be careful what I said on the phone. While telephonists (the word isn’t even in most dictionaries any more) will swear that they did not listen to people’s conversations, ….. of course they did - be it deliberate or not. Compare it with today - if you are next to someone on the bus who is talking on their mobile, you can’t tell me you don’t half listen!!!! Of course you do! We are all curious human beings after all!

Anyway, back to my story. My flatmate warned me to be careful and told me her story. When she had arrive in the little house we occupied she discovered the previous occupant had been using the bath as a place to store hay – because she had a horse. I won’t try to imagine how that girl kept clean. However…
My friend was discussing the same with a pal in the city on the phone and as a joke said “I’m not sure where I am going to put my horse!!!”
Within a couple of hours she had had several phone calls from friendly farmers welcoming her to the district and offering her a paddock for her horse! That was the end of any horsing around on that phone!

However, I do have to say the telephonist had her uses. If you wanted to know where someone was – for example was John ….at home, at the shop or down the pub, she would usually know – or would even ring the pub to check. And when there was an emergency – a fire or an accident, she would often make all the relevant phone calls once the first call came through. She was also known to give advice on everything from recipes to knitting patterns to childhood illnesses. I do wonder if, at times, she was a self proclaimed censor if phone calls became too heated or if when she discovered something illegal or immoral going on she would have to report it to authorities. One would have to be fairly dumb to plan a robbery or a dalliance on the telephone anyway! Perhaps there are some stories yet to be told. But hurry because ex-telephonists are a disappearing breed.
After exchanges became automatic, that contact was lost and there was a while where everything was more private and the town gossip or concerns were less well known. It could take a little longer to find out that old Mrs Brown had fallen down the front step and now needed a brigade of willing helpers to get her three meals a day and to do her washing.
Now, however mobile phones and e mails get messages around at great speed – provided they work in your part of the world. And on one level, that can be a good thing to ensure help comes quickly.
But is there something missing? I am not one to spend time reminiscing and I can’t really say that telephonists were part of my past – but could there be something to be said about someone who intercedes or stands between a message and its receiver. Perhaps if we all acted with a little more discretion when we text-ed or emailed each other, censoring the content and considering the circumstances of the receiver, we might live in a better world. And of course, whether you are living in remote parts of the country or in a large lonely city, face to face conversations can create their own form of censorship. One would like to think so, anyway.

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: town life, people, observations

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