At one time, I really thought that the phone was a wonderful thing. When the cell phone came out, even better. But it would seem that, as with all wonderful inventions, they can be good or bad. A hammer, when used to drive a nail, is a wonderful thing. When used for murder, not so much.
Okay, I agree. I overdid it, not a little but a lot. However, sometimes the extreme is a good thing when illustrating a point.
I have heard that Alexander Bell, the inventor of the phone, would never answer his phone during dinner. As I think it over, maybe that was a good idea, whether he did or not. The old door to door sales man has been replaced by the telemarketer. No one seems immune. During a recent visit to my doctor, he got two robo-calls.
I’m sure they are much more of a bother to him than to me. Yet, he must answer. It just might be an important call. We have all somewhat become a slave to the wonderful invention.
It is quite common for me to receive phone calls from Memphis offering to buy my house. I don’t live in Memphis. Don’t want to sell my house. I must have something to keep the rain off me. Maybe roofs aren’t so important in the desert of Arizona, but here in the Mid-South; they are something of a necessity.
I think the worst thing about phones is that they have virtually destroyed the face-to-face relationships, both socially as well with business relationships.
The other day, I went to answer my cell phone and when I touched the thing in the wrong way, it displayed the internet screen. I rarely use the phone for internet, only when I can’t get to a computer. The screen is too small for my 73 year-old-eyes. It is common with my not-so-smart phone.
So as the phone continued to ring, I continued to fumble. I easily got rid of the of the internet screen, but there were no buttons to answer the phone. So. I missed the call. Just as well. It was a telemarketer. But what if it was that guy that wanted to give me a million dollars? I think I would have been very angry with that phone company and the character that designed that stupid phone, the one they call a smart phone.
So. Today I went down to the store where I bought the phone. I told the sales person there I wanted to drop the line. I have a good flip phone that works much better for my purposes. He said that he couldn’t do it. I had to call customer service, on the phone.
So much for face-to-face service. Of course, if I wanted another phone, they would have had me all set up in roughly twenty minutes. I would have walked out of the store with a new working phone, a smart phone that would really be dumb. They don’t carry the flip phones. They have to be ordered. Takes 7 to 10 days to get it.
Soon after getting home, I called customer service. I explained that I wanted to drop the line and why. The lady I was speaking to hadn’t an idea what I was saying. She immediately started trying to say she might be able to reduce the price of my service.
I explained I wanted the line deleted, like right now. “Sorry. Can’t do that.” Better to talk face-to-face. They obviously did not want to lose the line. After I reminded her that there are many other cell phone services, she stopped that ploy.
Still, in about a year, when I no longer have to pay penalties, I just might go to another service. I am currently paying 200 a month. I think I just might be able to find somewhere that will provide pretty good service for 50 or less. Still. Push-come-to-shove. I am going to have to admit to it. The days of talking to a person, face-to-face are gone. In essence, the corporations have decided to use the hammer for something other than a nail.
bfrhodes99 