the_margaret•6mo ago

I finally talked to my grandma about her party line phone days

Everyone on the street could hear your calls back then. Modern encryption feels like a step up, not a loss.

4 comments

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4 Comments

anna_coleman466mo ago

Totally, the drama was all gossip. Nothing criminal for sure.

2

spencer4006mo ago

Question how much real drama got shared on a line the whole block could hear, lol. Pretty sure grandma wasn't planning any heists.

1

joelmoore6mo ago

Our party line on Oak Street was active until around 2002. Everyone knew when Mrs. Jenkins was arguing with her son because you could hear every word. What helped was keeping my calls short and avoiding personal talk during peak hours. Sometimes we'd use little codes or nicknames if we had to discuss something private. It taught us to be careful about what we shared, but honestly, the gossip was half the fun.

6

kim_ramirez35mo ago

Oh come on spencer400, you'd be surprised! My aunt's whole divorce got aired out over the line, that was way more than just gossip.

5