NUMBER PLEASE.

   FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH., 2017
              NUMBER PLEASE.

     I write to you today from northeastern
Pennsylvania. You may know it as the 570
Area Code. I note that because November
10th is Area Code Day!
     It's hard to believe, at least for me, but
Area Codes were first used in 1947.
     I probably didn't make too many calls
in 1947. I was only 5 at the time.
     When I did want to make a call back
then I just picked up the telephone and
waited for an operator to say "Number
please." If I happen to be calling my
home I would answer the operator by
saying "1515" and she, it was always a
woman, would put the call through to
my house.
       Later we got a rotary dial telephone.
By then there were a lot more people in
the country and a lot more telephones.
All the numbers were getting used up so
"Ma Bell" gave all got a prefix. Ours
Gladstone which was really just an extra
two numbers we had to dial.
        Rotary phones gave way to push
button models and with them came
Area Codes for everybody.
        The three or four numbers we used
to recite to the telephone operator had
grown to ten numbers we had to punch
in if the party we were trying to reach
was in a different Area Code area.
         And now that we've all got to
know Area Codes from all over the
country more and more people are
using cell phones where, after
entering your favorite numbers in
its memory, you simply push one
button to have your call go anywhere!
           And where ever you are, the
Robo callers still seem to be able to
find us! The Area Code has never
stopped them!
            Hope you've on the "Do Not
Call List" (which works every now and
then) and that all your NEWS is good.