SPOILIN’ THE BROTH
Neighbor Grover sez he wonders why bra is singular and panties are plural.
Column here about the 1940 Rockdale telephone book prompted a question from Bruce Holliman who may be the last person who still admits to reading this column, other than my long-suffering, proof-reading wife Pegaroo.
Bruce wanted to know who, if anyone, had telephone number 1. That prompted me to make a quick study of the white pages in that 1940 directory.
Number 1 was the residence number of P. H. Perry Sr.
Number 2 belonged to Baldridge and Prewitt Drug Store which had two phone lines—number 2 and number
20. I have an idea that the “2” was the line doctors used to call in prescriptions, and “20” was the business number for all other matters.
Here are the lowest numbers I found:
• 1—P. H. Perry residence.
• 2—Baldridge & Prewitt Drugs.
• 3—Mrs. A. H. Lightfoot residence.
• 4—Dr. I. P. Sessions.
• 5—H. O. Quebe Drug Store. (You have to believe that Dr. Sessions, 4, dialed the drug stores, 2 and 5, quite often.)
• 6—City Hall.
• 7—Did not find a listing. Could be “7” moved away, had his phone cut off, or perhaps went to that great party-line in the sky.
• 8—Perry’s Radio Shop. I believe that’s the same P. H. Perry Sr. whose residence number was 1.
• 9—Rockdale post office.
• 10—J. G. Turner residence.
• 11—Rockdale Beauty Shoppe. It was Bert Dockall who brought me that 1940 telephone directory. If memory serves me right Bert’s sweet mother Mattie Dock-all was a mainstay in that “shoppe” for decades.
• 12—Ed Gunn, attorney.
• 0—Yes, there was a “0.” It was, of course, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company’s local office. The “operator” fielded all the calls.
In 1940 Rockdale’s entire business district was what is now the downtown area. Most homes had a crank phone hanging on a wall. When you cranked it, a switchboard operator located on the second floor of a downtown building said, “Number please?” You gave her the number and she plugged your line into that number on the switchboard.
To make a long-distance call, you requested “long distance.” For numbers not in the directory, you said, “Information, please.” For troubles, you said, “Repair service, please.”
The switchboard overlooked downtown Rockdale. Operators often provided information above-and-beyond.
An example, my mother once gave the operator Dr. T. S. Barkley’s office number.
The operator happened to know that Dr. Barkley was having coffee at the Elite Cafe at the moment. Mom told her not to bother him there, she’d call his office later.
Ma Bell, small town. Personal, professional, courteous service.
Long time ago. Now try to get a live person on the line.
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