In my childhood, it seemed we often heard rumors about things of the future. Some of the wonders predicted I remember my mother laughed and told us someone predicted the very same things would exist when she grew up but they were marvels yet to come. While we may not have the flying cars, the pneumatic tubes connecting every home to the supermarket for instant delivery, or the houses revolving to face the sun for warmth and light, we now take for granted things which were the stuff of science fiction not so very long ago.
Growing up we had one telephone, a standard issue black rotary desk phone back in St. Joseph and a similar black wall phone here in Neosho. If I wanted privacy as a teen while on the phone, I stretched out the black cord and took the receiver outside to sit on the back step, sometimes freezing in the dead of winter. There weren’t any other options — unless I wanted to sit at the family dining table so everyone could hear my end of the conversation. Now both my daughters have cell phones. They can call or text friends at any hour, all with complete privacy. And, of course, I have my Blackberry, a phone and so much more. I can call anyone, anytime — mostly on their cell phones — or text, post on Facebook, Twitter, check the weather online, and other functions. As I told someone the other day, when I first received it, my so-called smart phone was smarter than me but I’ve learned to utilize most of its functions.
Just before Christmas, my mother became ill and went to the hospital. Once upon a time, notifying family and friends would have required a series of telephone calls made from a pay phone at the medical facility or possibly an in house phone for visitor use. Instead, not very long after my brother and I arrived at Freeman Neosho, my phone rang and it was my cousin from northwest Missouri. I couldn’t believe the coincidence he would call at that moment and when he asked what was going on, I told him we were at the hospital. His answer amazed me — “I know,” he said, and proceeded to explain. One of my teens posted on Facebook, Bill’s brother saw the post, called his brother who called me. Over the next few days, I kept in contact with dozens of relatives and friends via my cell phone as they offered prayers, support, and messages to relay to my mom. Even a few short years ago, I could not have imagined such technology.
