Aunt Alice and the Port Jervis Phone Company

Oh it sounds like such a good title!

Really it's just about a picture that my Cousin came across and sent to me tonight. My Aunt Alice better known as Aunt Allie, my Dad's sister and the woman who drove like the wind to the hospital, me in the passenger seat in my Uncle Ed's lap, his hand like a vice holding my leg together, Aunt Allie stopping for no one.. beeping the horn all the way. I swear when we reached the top of the hill where the hospital was we went airborne.

We got there alive and they sewed my leg up good...I got about 40 stitches and a GI Joe...It was the 60's and one of the most exciting rides ever. I digress...

So My cousin found a picture of Alice when she was seventeen years old and working for the Phone Company in Port Jervis, New York (circa 1947) ....see below

My Aunt still lives in Matamoras,Pa where she and my dad grew up. It's on the Delaware River, on the other side of the river is Port Jervis, NY.

Aunt Alice

Less than 60 years ago our phone calls were made through an operator like Alice, there was no direct dialing ,cell phones, no faxes, Internet or home PC's. Those times were much simpler than the complex world we live in now. While I like a lot of the new gadgets, somehow this picture makes me think maybe all the gadgets aren't really worth the aggravation!

Well, I gotta go..I've got emails to reply to, my cell phone is ringing!


Photos courtesy of my cousin...no royalties paid at this time, he still owes us for all that penny candy we bought for him when he said he didn't want to break a $20...oh, and note penny candy isisn't just a penny anymore..