Remember STD calls in the days of yore.
Not calls really. Bookings.
My aunt would "book a trunk call" to Guwahati- all of 10 hours drive from where we were in Dibrugarh.
But it was an event.
Because trunk calls were booked mostly for breaking news.
Usually bad. Sometimes good.
There was a sense of emergency when such calls were booked.
One of us youngsters were designated to guard the phone and holler if it rang.
Once the call was connected, the designated speaker would start off with a shout if not a yell.
HELLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Immediately breaking into the news delivery , almost akin to the way brands deliver the statutory warning message on audio.
The high decibel voice is maintained- repeating meant more time and more money.
An audible sigh of relief would be heard around the room once the call was over.
No question of calling to just say a hi.
Or wonder what's for breakfast.
Or whether mum has visited the jeweller's place before the wedding season
Or simply a call to say "I am missing you"
We have the power to do that today.
To express what we feel in just a dial.
To say what we want to in a split second.
Do we do that enough?
Or do we still call our parents only on Sunday evenings....
Not calls really. Bookings.
My aunt would "book a trunk call" to Guwahati- all of 10 hours drive from where we were in Dibrugarh.
But it was an event.
Because trunk calls were booked mostly for breaking news.
Usually bad. Sometimes good.
There was a sense of emergency when such calls were booked.
One of us youngsters were designated to guard the phone and holler if it rang.
Once the call was connected, the designated speaker would start off with a shout if not a yell.
HELLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Immediately breaking into the news delivery , almost akin to the way brands deliver the statutory warning message on audio.
The high decibel voice is maintained- repeating meant more time and more money.
An audible sigh of relief would be heard around the room once the call was over.
No question of calling to just say a hi.
Or wonder what's for breakfast.
Or whether mum has visited the jeweller's place before the wedding season
Or simply a call to say "I am missing you"
We have the power to do that today.
To express what we feel in just a dial.
To say what we want to in a split second.
Do we do that enough?
Or do we still call our parents only on Sunday evenings....
