Put down the phone and let’s talk

A recent David Lauderdale column called “Art of sitting fading away” struck a chord with me because I feel the same way.

On April 3, 1973, Motorola manager, Martin Cooper placed a cellular phone call — in front of reporters — to Dr. Joel S. Engel, head of research at AT&T’s Bell Labs. This began the era of the hand-held cellular mobile phone. So, cell phones — being the electronic-miracle of the 20th century and able to keep in touch, no matter where you are — could easily be chalked-up as a menace to society when mishandled with a lack of etiquette in mixed company.

I’m old-school enough to be familiar with the phrases David used to describe a sit down together conversation like “Come take a load off” and “Pull up a chair.” What’s more inviting than to pass the time of day by having a sit down friendly chat with a person one-on-one without the third party — the cell phone — constantly interrupting.

One particular illustration of a cell phone taboo is when your grandchildren drop by for a quick visit and constantly keep a wary eye on their cell phones placed on the table so as to read text messages coming in when the screen lights up, taking away from the concentration of our on-going conversation.

I’m just greedy enough in demanding their full attention that I have to say, “Kindly leave your cell phone in the car or turn it off during our visit.” One sure way to keep them away from the phone is to keep their hands busy by handing them a pan of butterbeans to shell as David mentioned in his article.

A friend of mine says she laid the law down when it comes to family gatherings at the dinner table by stating, “a chair is placed for everyone to sit, but there is no chair set for your cell phone and no designated place at the table for it.” That’s as plain as you can put it.

Sit-down conversations can be a relaxing way to put a break in a busy day, plus, when one or more minds are involved, you’re not going to end your chat without learning something beneficial. My granddaughter recently asked me after chatting with her Papa’ about the way life was when he was growing up by saying, “Meema, get Papa talking about the olden days and write it all down so I’ll have it to pass on to my children.” She even gave me a diary-style book to use, which goes to show you our youth are really interested in our lives and times gone by when they just take the time to get un-wired from their cell phones to listen.

David’s article ends with the phrase “Shall I keep my fork,” bringing to mind the joke about the woman that told her mortician she wanted to be buried holding a fork in her hand because at the dinner table they were always told after the main meal to “Hold on to your fork, the best is yet to come,” referring to dessert. So she wanted to be assured that when she entered the gates of heaven she’d be prepared with her fork in hand because the best was yet to come.

God bless Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone in 1876, ushering in the era of talking at a distance, and to innovators in the 20th century expanding the telephone’s reach across continents and oceans, figuratively shrinking the world and connecting its citizens.

By the year 2000 more than a billion people all over the world had gone wireless, using cellular technology to talk and text messages and photo’s on cell phones smaller than a deck of cards, a life-saving device to many and enjoyed by all when used at the proper place and time.

Drop in and sit a spell with a glass of cool lemonade or sweet iced tea.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 5:51 AM with the headline "Put down the phone and let’s talk."