Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The other night at Wal-Mart....

(be ready for the run on sentence..) I found myself looking for change to use a payphone, to call home, because my phone was dead, because I had to use it as my main camera at Eva's party earlier that day, because my brand new camera had died at the party, because I had to return it to the lovely afore mentioned Walmart, because I needed to get a new camera for Kerry to take on his flight that left in 2 hours, and because when I got home I realized that yes in deed the new camera did not work either, and promptly and frantically raced back to that lovely place and picked out a new camera, and barely made it before the electronics department closed and Kerry had to leave for the airport in 8 minutes.

It was an awesome night.

But really, the only reason I thought this was post worthy is because I felt as if I had gone back in time. I don't know when the last time was that I used a payphone. Maybe a decade ago? I think it was when calls were 10 cents. Now it is 50 cents for 2 minutes!
I had to ask Kerry a question before I could leave because he had tried to call to tell me to pick something up for his trip and my phone died while I was talking to him. My only option was the shiny blue and silver payphone in the corner by the arcade and drink machines. I found the coins, made the call, and then as I hear who I thought was Kerry answer on the other end of the line it started clicking and I yelled out, "NO!" thinking it had cut my call. I grabbed at the receiver and accidentally hung up on him. Crap! No more quarters. I just had to sit there staring at the phone hoping he would know to call me back. I felt like I was 14 years old at Lagoon calling my mom to come pick me up. Completely helpless and totally at the mercy of the payphone. After a minute the phone rings - I pick up the phone and hear a voice that sounds not at all like Kerry saying, "Hello - this is Randy. Did someone at this number just try and call me?"
"Dad? Dad? Did I just call you? This is weird. I'm trying to get a hold of Kerry but I must have dialed your home number instead. Can you do me a favor. I'm out of coins and my phone is dead. Kerry has to leave for the airport in a half hour. Will you call Kerry and have him call me on this number? Thanks Dad."
So then I find myself waiting - again. Leaning up against the brick Walmart wall watching weird people walk past me and wondering if I may have to use my martial art training that I don't officially have.
Waiting. Waiting. Geez - what could be taking him so long! Are they talking golf? C'mon!!
And then Ring! Finally. I get to my husband and ask him the ever so important question and am on my merry way.

I just thought that it was interesting that I would dial my parents at my old home number from growing up. Almost as if when I picked up the payphone my brain reverted back a decade or two. It was like hearing an old song on the radio that you danced to at your first Stomp. Bizarre.

Now I just realized that what I just said was a lie, because I remembered something funny we did this summer with a payphone. (So I have in fact picked up a payphone recently) Something that is really fun to do to your kids that are under 5 or who still might fall for it. My Becks loves to pick up the payphone receivers and pretend he is talking. They always gross me out and I tell him to put it back and get over here. But one night at Cherry Hill my little brother Steve saw Becks playing with the payphone and decided to call the payphone from his cell phone.
So the next thing I hear is this shrill riiiinngg and Beck's eyes light up and he picks up the phone. I ask him who it is.
He yells out almost hyperventilating..."It's Thomas!! Thomas the train! Thomas the train is on the phone, mom! It's Thomas!" My brother does not sound a thing like Thomas, yet the conversation ensued for another 5 minutes.
It's so much fun to play with their minds when they are young and impressionable. If you are trying to teach them to not talk to strange people on the phone, this might not be a good idea for you. But we found it quite entertaining. I did it to him a few weeks later while we were waiting at the TRAX station. He fell for it again. Give it a try - you could always tell them it was an astronaut calling from the rocket and was looking down at him trying to find a good place to land, or that it was an elf calling to let you know they were checking up on you for Santa or that, by golly, it was actually Santa on the other line! The possibilities are endless.....

5 comments:

KC said...

That is HILARIOUS! I think that's a good idea to call the kids and say you are Santa and that they need to behave! That will SO work with Brooklyn! Sorry you were out of change...and you were stuck at Walmart...and Kerry went out of town..wait, maybe that's a good thing?

The Stones said...

LOVE it! I love your blog Miss Makell. So great, and I'm now inspired to pick up a payphone...after I disinfect it. They gross me out too.

Brooke and Jonny said...

Oh that's cute, man I have cute Nieces and Nephews. When I was reading the part about him saying Thomas was on the line I could really hear him and see his face completely light up!

Brooke and Jonny said...

Will you put up pictures of abe, PLEASE!!!!

Candy McCall said...

great stories! I too LOVE your blog.