My childhood dream was to be a grocery store cashier. I loved the beep of the price scanner and the click of the keys on the register that I imaged felt satisfying to press. I still find comfort in certain sounds and touches like I did as a kid. So it makes sense that I’ve had an obsession with landline telephones brewing in me for as long as I can remember.
Before modern cell phones went full touchscreen, phones were unique, with tactile buttons that had clicks and dings, smooth plastic bodies that felt good against your ear, and curly cords you could fiddle with while talking on a particularly long phone call.
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I feel very lucky to have grown up when I did, because I got to experience life before and after every house had multiple computers and cell phones. I grew up with long, late night phone calls; I’ve cried to girlfriends from under my blankets, phone to my ear; I flirted with boys and argued with friends until my parents told me I had to hang up. I even used to call my grandmother disguised as my alter ego Alice for occasional chats. (I was a weird kid, OK?)
With the introduction of cell phones, I went from talking on the phone for hours to dreading actual phone conversations. The smartphone has made life dramatically easier, but I miss the feel of a good old-fashioned landline in my hand. These examples below are some of my favorites.
