Happy Birthday Alexander Graham Bell

March 3, 1847.

It is rumored Bell did not actually have a telephone because he did not like the interruptions. I wonder if the had any concept what his simple device would grow into!

It is also said that when he died, no telephones rang in the U.S. for 60 seconds, in his honor. True or not, I think he would have liked that. Now, where did I leave my cell phone?

As comedian Lily Tomlin said, as Ernestine - a telephone operator:

We handle eighty-four billion calls a year. Serving everyone from presidents and kings to the scum of the earth. We realize that every so often you can't get an operator, for no apparent reason your phone goes out of order, or perhaps you get charged for a call you didn't make.

We don't care.

Watch this.. [ she hits buttons maniacally ] ..just lost Peoria.

You see, this phone system consists of a multibillion-dollar matrix of space age technology that is so sophisticated, even we can't handle it. But that's your problem, isn't it?

Next time you complain about your phone service, why don't you try using two Dixie cups with a string?

We don't care.
We don't have to.
We're the Phone Company.