Monday, November 6, 2017

Things Adults Don't Know

I recently read an article about things people had to tell other adults that was surprising. Some of them were real doozies, like once you cross the equator in an airplane you plane is not upside down and if you are standing on an island in the Pacific Ocean all the water you see is the Pacific Ocean. That body of water in the direction that the sun rises out of is not magically the Atlantic Ocean.

Others weren't so earth-shattering like people who didn't understand why once you added up the amounts of their payments it was more than the car sold for (interest, people!). The one I encounter isn't so earth shattering but is kind of perplexing. Then again I didn't grow up in the cell phone age.

I work at a reception desk for our department. We have an extra phone there for when people need to borrow a phone. Much like any phone in a rather public area it doesn't call long distance. So when people ask to borrow the phone we always tell them it doesn't call long distance and most of them respond that it is local. (The few who don't we send off to another place where there is a phone that dials long distance.)
The person using the phone will dial and hang up and dial and hung up and look perplexed and finally ask us why their call won't go through. When we ask what number they are dialing they invariably tell us a 10-digit number and we remind them you can't make long distance calls from. At that point a few people get that they need to drop the area code of their number and try again but most just look at you blankly like a deer in headlights.

Usually they get it when you further explain you drop the 520 (our area's area code). I had one person who asked what that meant so I explained that 520 meant the phone number was based out of Southern Arizona and that on a landline if you were calling it, you just ignored it. That just made it worse for her because then how does she get calls on her 520 number when she is out of state. *sigh*

The Fine Print: Stamps, dies and things by Stampin Up except the greeting by A Muse Studio.

9 comments:

Sandy said...

Yeah. Sad. I once saw a long discussion thread on a writers group debating whether to include a "1" in phone numbers -- like 1-800-FLOWERS. I think I argued no, because people know if they need to use it(landline) or not (cell). I think I was probably wrong.
On the other hand, your card is very lovely -- I like the way you stacked the diecuts.

Bonnie said...

And I wonder why they call them smart phones! Love your fall arrangement with the bit of burlap! Very nice and fallish!

Sarn said...

That is a really beautiful autumnal card PJ.

I bet you just hate it when someone wants to borrow that reception phone! Maybe you should get a BIG notice printed!?

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Carol L said...

What a fabulous fall card with those great vines and pumpkins! Love the burlap snippet and great sentiment too! Very pretty! I never cease to be amazed at the lack of common sense in this day and age. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

Fikreta said...

people are strange.
but your card s so very pretty!

stampingbowd said...

Oh, my gosh!!! That's crazy. It hasn't been that LONG since we used land lines, is it??? Well, maybe it is because we were the last ones on the planet to get an answering machine back in the olden days and we were still using flip phones until a couple of years ago so..... I guess maybe there are some young beings out there that don't know how to use a REAL phone. You always make me laugh. Your card, however, is no laughing matter! It's a beauty!! I love the curling vines and the fun leaf sprigs!

Karen Dunbrook said...

Love your Fall card.
Giggle...cell phones have taken over the world, such a funny story.
xx Karen

Words and Pictures said...

Sigh... the total sum of human stupidity/ignorance/simply not stopping to think-ness is really a little bit scary! Thank goodness for time at the craft desk away from all the people. Love your autumn gatherings here.
Alison x

Craftychris said...

Tee hee! Gorgeous autumnal card - love all the elements! xxx