my grandparents lived outside a small Texas oil town. When my grandmother rang "two longs and a short" to talk to my grandfather (whose office was the equivalent of 1/2 block away), sometimes the Operator came on, saying, "Oh, Lillie, he's not there. He's at the coffee shop. Do you want me to put your call thru there?"
My grandparents were very modern in their days and had a telephone (dial the number). But I don't think I ever used it. It was for emergencies and important messages or making appointments: short and to the point! When I was shortly married (1967) we had a telephone! Once my husband went to his boss and asked for a raise in salary. The boss asked why (just think of such a thing!). My husband said: because I do my work well and I don't earn enough. The boss said: Then do away your telephone, there is no need for a workman as you to have one, and then you save enough money to cope with. At that moment my husband said: 'I now take my resignation and a good day sir' and walked out.
He had a better job with better pay within 24 hours. But that was in those days…
Although … here in Holland now there are more good jobs (technicians, computer, painters, lorry drivers, electricians, CNC frasers, teachers, nurses, doctors etc. etc.) than there are men/women to do these jobs. Hospital departments and old peoples homes are closing: no nurses.
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