Indianz.Com > News > Clara Caufield: And now a message from your friendly ‘oldster’

What has happened to telephone manners?
Monday, March 22, 2021
Here’s a column that few people under the age of 40 will read. Maybe if it were a text message, they’d notice it.
I’m writing to express my old-timer frustration with what seems to be an alarming and irritating decline in telephone manners. Not that it will do much good. It just allows me to vent and maybe a fellow other old-timers will agree.
Now more than ever, due to COVID isolation (thank goodness that is easing up), telephones have become a more essential part of our daily lives. Many of us rely on that communication tool for a daily ‘connect’ with loved ones back home – for example, one of my cousins and I speak daily to share the news, make sure we are still vertical and long since having run out of new news often lapsing into reminiscing old stories.
For some of us oldsters those daily calls are a highlight of the day. Phones also have practical application such as ordering groceries, paying bills and every so often a pizza. Maybe not so much on the Rez, but those last options are handy in town.
Most of my most-called numbers are committed to memory for long established land lines. Some friends have had the same number for decades. If for some reason, we lose or forget that number, we can use the phone book or call directory assistance to get it back. I’ve always been puzzled about unlisted land lines. Isn’t the purpose of a phone to have someone call you? Maybe we can chalk that up to the fear of dreaded bill collectors or irritating ubiquitous salespeople.
That’s a tough job, I know from experience, once in college resorting to that. So, I try to be firmly kind to them. After all, you must be fairly desperate to try that line of work and we should give them credit for holding down a job rather than being on the dole.
One of my tactics goes like this: “I’m so glad you called. I’m a journalist doing a piece on telephone solicitors. Do you have a moment to answer a few questions?” Oddly enough, this had led to some interesting conversations, boredom on both ends temporarily alleviated. They are human too.
Not so for cell phones. If you lose a cell phone number or worse yet your own cell phone number with the ‘contacts’, you are sunk. Why isn’t there a national cell phone directory?
NATIVE SUN NEWS TODAY
Support Native media!
Read the rest of the story on Native Sun News Today: What has happened to telephone manners?
Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com
Note: Copyright permission Native Sun News Today
Search
Filed Under
Tags
More Headlines
Native America Calling: Native Bookshelf with Tanya Talaga
Native America Calling: Where Donald Trump finds support among Native Americans
AUDIO: Subcommittee Markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill
AUDIO: H.R.410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act
AUDIO: H.R.504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act
Statement: William “Billy” Kirkland nomination hearing as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
Native America Calling: Tribes insist on protections for wolves in the face of public pressures
George Ochenski: Another shameful chapter in treatment of tribal nations
Montana Free Press: Tribes challenge changes in voter registration laws
Cronkite News: Democrats head to primary to fill seat of the late Raúl Grijalva
House of Representatives adds two Indian Country bills to agenda
Tom Cole: The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is a win for America
NAFOA: 5 Things You Need to Know this Week (July 14, 2025)
Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation focuses on culture
Native America Calling: What the Texas flash floods teach us about emergency preparedness
More Headlines
Native America Calling: Where Donald Trump finds support among Native Americans
AUDIO: Subcommittee Markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill
AUDIO: H.R.410, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act
AUDIO: H.R.504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act
Statement: William “Billy” Kirkland nomination hearing as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
Native America Calling: Tribes insist on protections for wolves in the face of public pressures
George Ochenski: Another shameful chapter in treatment of tribal nations
Montana Free Press: Tribes challenge changes in voter registration laws
Cronkite News: Democrats head to primary to fill seat of the late Raúl Grijalva
House of Representatives adds two Indian Country bills to agenda
Tom Cole: The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is a win for America
NAFOA: 5 Things You Need to Know this Week (July 14, 2025)
Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation focuses on culture
Native America Calling: What the Texas flash floods teach us about emergency preparedness
More Headlines