Today the only thing I did was to walk around the block for a bit of exercise. (Rest of the day was spent watching The Crown épisodes on Netflix and reading Anti-Fragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb – a quiet day).

During the walk I saw this public Payphone. I stopped and read the notices to see that all phone calls are free. Some of these public pay phones are free wifi hotspots.

So I decided to use it as I hadn’t used a Payphone in many – many – years.

I called Andrew at home on the home landline (yes, we still have this). It rang through even though I knew that he was home.

Was he screening calls?!

Then I called his mobile which also went through to voice mail. No answer.

Then I texted him to say to “pick up the phone!”

I called him again then he answered finally.

That’s when I realised that if you’re really in trouble, without a phone, you’d be calling for assistance from the public phone with no one at home picking up because they don’t recognise or trust the number!

So much for emergency calls back home.

My how things have changed!

Thankfully also I have memorised a few phone call numbers to have in my brain in case I ever need to call them…..and keep calling them until they pick up. 🤣