Modern Life #1

There was a time, many centuries ago it now seems, when you picked up a phone, dialled some numbers, and spoke to another person.

The other day I tried to use the phone at my friend's office.  Dialling 9 to get an outiside line was once the norm, I can cope with that.  But now there seems to be a highly complicated collection of procedures to perform, and hoops to jump through....

Dial 1 to enter all telephone numbers backwards

Dial 2 to order afternoon tea with your call

Dial 3 to make your entire call in Portuguese, despite neither party speaking a word of the language

Dial 4 to have authentic sound effects supplied during your call, from comedy chuckles to genuine crying, dependent on your news

Dial 5 to speak to a person you haven't talked to in 30 years

Dial 6 to ...

You get the picture.  All I wanted to do was pick up the phone and call a cab.  I gave up.