The sadness and magic of telephones
I can remember when my mum and dad got their first telephone - it was coloured pale grey, and placed upon a small table in the hallway - when I used it to ring my friends, I felt the excitement you might feel if you were talking to a cosmonaut on his way to Mars - I always recited our number - Gosport 82207 - when answering the phone - it was like saying the words of a wonderful and solemn spell -
Now, I've got a magic I phone - I feel the same wonder when I use it -
I think of all the times I've used phones - red telephone boxes, sleepy and dusty in summer sunlight - speaking anxious or passionate words to girls - speaking to OFSTED Lead Inspectors on the phone in my office, murmuring numbers - trying to keep my voice calm when asking why I'm needed in the Health Centre, the day after a blood test -
I saw Ken's face, when we used face time - there he was, a world away, smiling and kind - if he walked outside, I'd see the valley amongst the mountains, the dark green leaves of the orange trees -
I have a handful of phone cards, with bright logos - I've used them in phone booths in the shadow of baroque churches - Vespas have clattered over ancient cobbles whilst I've picked up the handset - I've smelt drink and cigarette smoke when I've spoken into a phone inside a riotous pub -
Outside Richard's house, I looked up, to see these telephone wires - they radiated out, from the telephone pole - I thought of all the messages they carried -all the voices in the air -
The sun was setting over Southsea - I could feel the sadness and magic of telephones - how many tragedies, how many joys, were even now flying invisibly above my head?
I can remember when my mum and dad got their first telephone - it was coloured pale grey, and placed upon a small table in the hallway - when I used it to ring my friends, I felt the excitement you might feel if you were talking to a cosmonaut on his way to Mars - I always recited our number - Gosport 82207 - when answering the phone - it was like saying the words of a wonderful and solemn spell -
Now, I've got a magic I phone - I feel the same wonder when I use it -
I think of all the times I've used phones - red telephone boxes, sleepy and dusty in summer sunlight - speaking anxious or passionate words to girls - speaking to OFSTED Lead Inspectors on the phone in my office, murmuring numbers - trying to keep my voice calm when asking why I'm needed in the Health Centre, the day after a blood test -
I saw Ken's face, when we used face time - there he was, a world away, smiling and kind - if he walked outside, I'd see the valley amongst the mountains, the dark green leaves of the orange trees -
I have a handful of phone cards, with bright logos - I've used them in phone booths in the shadow of baroque churches - Vespas have clattered over ancient cobbles whilst I've picked up the handset - I've smelt drink and cigarette smoke when I've spoken into a phone inside a riotous pub -
Outside Richard's house, I looked up, to see these telephone wires - they radiated out, from the telephone pole - I thought of all the messages they carried -all the voices in the air -
The sun was setting over Southsea - I could feel the sadness and magic of telephones - how many tragedies, how many joys, were even now flying invisibly above my head?
No comments:
Post a Comment