PARTY LINE

“The phone call is for you” said my husband as he opened the bathroom door.   I acknowledged by asking him to tell my mother I would call her back.  Of course she heard our entire conversation because he had the telephone in his hand when entering the room.  I can remember the days before portable phones when a person could be in the powder room and not announce your business, but alas, those moments of privacy in the privy seem no longer possible,

One such embarrassing encounter began in a public restroom when I was greeted by the lady in the stall next to me with a cheerful hello and then asked how I was feeling.  Well, having three sisters, a BDIL (beautiful daughter-in-law) and I work in a building full of women – all this supports the assumption that I am accustom to having conversations separated by a stall wall.  So I responded to her query by telling her I was fine.  The woman answered with “good” and inquired next with “what are you doing”.

Now that question caused me to pause because I was pretty sure we were both doing the same thing yet, ever the one to avoid the appearance of being rude, I continued the chat by responding with a pleasant “not much” and waited for her to continue the conversation she had initiated. She continued all right, by letting me know she was not talking to me and that she was on the phone!

Modern conveniences now help us be available all the time to everyone. Obviously, there are a few adjustments I can make to accommodate the telephone’s twenty-first century’s take on the “party line”. First, I should always lock the bathroom door even when just the two of us are at home and second, when there is a wall – don’t talk to strangers!