Village Squire, 1976-02, Page 19difficulty to retain a degree of friendliness - that one lifted
telephone deadened the whole neighbourhood- (iri ult. So calls
were not going through.
A new training program left the children contused. "13111 V011
always said to answer the phone when it rings. Don't pyople• here
answer phones?"
Mother explained. "You, see we wait until we hear our ring.
two longs and a short," she said.
Who ever heard of a long and a short? Mom must be nuts, the\
mumbled to each other
See! They were already learning to become observant on thy
farm. Mom always seemed to he busy at something, so she
couldn't answer the phone. This extra work could be driving her
wacky.
The only "wackiness" she was driven to was first explaining
that "each time the phone rings it isn't for us", and then trying
to outrace the children to the phone.
As she stood on guard, protecting the communication, system
she tried to teach the children how to read the hell signals
They eventually learned not only their own, but also
neighbours' rings.
How did they learn that?
It was originally lust ( uriosity When the ringing slope, 11 the\
started'therr own private listening. So they soon recognised rings
tor other persons named "Mary or Sue or John or George (the\
didn't learn the family names )
It bee ane)• a game - and mother didn't (at( h on A couple of
times she stopped working long enough to w•oncic•r •vhs the
c hildren were so quiet.
But they were not quiet (enough The\ got into a tees unuertone
arguments over who was listening too long "It', rte, turn now,'
, was a whisptr to them, but it rang loud and ( tear to tither ears.
So mother rot e•ive•d another t riendly pie(( of acts is e •- advice
alwax s semis to slide on u e - nut in the same Ione as the previous
explanation about cutting the c Ire nit
She was shoe ked She tried In explain ssh\. the ehiklrvn had
Heyer told her a thing they heard She shouidn t have said that.
she rea1ived atter the words had yanishecl into the neighbour's
ears.
t)b\mu,l\ the neighbour didn't honest her The children
,hould be sent to a pole e se hool Maybe they could do something
.isetul helping pollee oayesdrop on the criminal world
Tho neighbour certarol\ made it clear that "we are not
criminals, ,o stop listening
It was a trying time for the children I irst, answer the phone,
second, don't answer And now, (yen though they realised they
shouldn't hay( listened. it had been tun Until they \\ ere caught.
,Mother was embarrassed almost to tlhe point of hanging her
head oyer\ tine she walked 111) yard, to the general store -
taking in two the reluctant, and now non-operative, former
eavesdroppers
But one da\ the woman at the general store smiled impishly - it
women are still unp"h - and told neither. Don't worry about
them (she nodded to the ( h'Idren) listening I've known others
hu weren't caught
So, mother ,ilmo,t blushed. esers hod\ 's e' ,Ing it She !made a
mental note to be more guarded in an\ tuture talks to relatise,
lou see, she. rea11\ had not \et (ultnale(1 any blend, wile) would
welcome a leisured\ (hat on 'the phone I hat did (only. man\
!mond), later
13111 the,torekeeper told Iter one amusing in('dent 111).o15 mg an
1-•.1'. e,(Iropper
I be neighbour, had Imeeri 1),11-11( ularl\ ",pe) loos !he Intoner
ue ; asl iii i11\ pa„e•(I 11) u1lo1-n(al'nn s\ hu h she ( 1)111(1 ung 11ayc•,
re( eistd by listening
So Iwo women set a trap
I he\ c ha111 (1 away .11)n11 nothing one day at noon - maybe,
dinner was burning but the\ hada doh to complete 1'r,t
Suddenly, in the midst of their con\ersation, a cut kou e let Is
,tailed to ,Ing out the hour
Oh Mar\ . you \e got a new (lo( k. one woman said
111114 ss,1, ,m (Inlet sound on the line Ilial of someone hanging
up
And the hanging -.len( ed die ( e)1 koei
the i lock was sold nm ,1 (11,1,1111 town 1)l• t (las but exor\bo15
seemed to know .111 about 11
t ntilcl other, )aye listened too?
BRING
M__2ETT
A LITTLE
CLOSER
We have now on display a beautiful collection
of new spring flowers by Perma-Fleur guaranteed
to chase away winter blues.
For people who love to make their own arrangements,
see our complete stock of florist tape, baskets,
wire, styrofoam forms and ribbons etc.
See the "Peek -into -Spring" Fashion show Feb. 9th at
Clinton High School. Keepsake bridal bouquets
created by the Arbor Bridal Registry.
,gip -a
?0J Ji q�i,�p
info! a, i.87
VILLAGE SQUIRE/FEBRUARY 1976, 17