Newspapers and phones still work

Contemporary communication sometimes makes me think newspapers and landlines will go the way of the dinosaurs.
With so many people connected by iphone, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., it seems like there’s little room for good old-fashioned telephones and newspapers anymore. But this week, I had two exchanges that made me think we can have it all: both the new-fangled way of communicating, and the ‘classic’ one.
The revelation occurred as this message came across my email:

Hello. My Dad and I are visiting Maple Creek. He believes you have a book for sale and he is wondering how he might buy a copy.
If any of this is true, please email me the details.
Thank you very much!

When I first read this message, I giggled.
I envisioned the conversation that occurred between this father (obviously an old-timer who got his information the ‘classic’ way) and his son (who was sending this message via iphone).
Presumably, the dad had read my regular weekly column in the Maple Creek News. He happened to be traveling through Saskatchewan from Clearwater, B.C. at the very same time that the column about my upcoming book was published in the Maple Creek paper.
I quickly emailed the son back and verified that what his father spoke of was indeed true. I had written a book called Journey to Joy, but it wouldn’t be out until April 28, 2018. I provided pre-order information encouraging the dad to order the book via email and pay for it using e-transfer.
The son sent this back:

My dad is one of sixteen people in this world with no email.
So, use mine.
He’ll likely try to send you a cheque. You and I can work out a more updated payment system if need be.
Thank you very much.
Sent from my iPhone

I read the message, and again, I giggled.
For all of the book pre-orders I had received that week, this one was certainly the most interesting, and the most touching. Most orders came from my Facebook and Blog posts, but the good-old method of newspaper communication was still working its magic. And what’s more, it had reached my most distant customer (both in terms of miles and familiarity)—a man from Clearwater, B.C. who I’d never met. I now had a memorable book order, and it was all thanks to the old-fashioned newspaper.
The next ‘classic’ exchange started out in a very modern way. A friend from PEI wanted to communicate via Skype. For some reason, my end wasn’t cooperating, so we texted back and forth, moving onto Google hangouts. That didn’t connect us either so we tried all kinds of other methods, from Viber to Messenger to Facetime.
My exasperated friend finally sent this text:
“Good old fashioned PHONE call?”
We ended up talking on the telephone and it was wonderful.
Both exchanges were glorious, and refreshing, and necessary.
I do love my iphone, and my Facetime, and my Skype, but I also love my newspapers and my telephone, and I doubt that will ever change.

Email comments to LCfroese@sasktel.net and follow Christalee Froese’s 21days2joy Blog at 21days2joy.wordpress.com

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