Re: Fw: Information Please

From: clare (csheedy@netcom.ca)
Mon Apr 15 11:02:28 2002


Millie:

Thanks. It made me cry and smile at the same time!

--
Clare

At Sun, 14 Apr 2002, Millie wrote: >

>>>----- Original Message ----- >From: "Jacque Perkowski" <perk2@mercurylink.net> >To: <milliem@citlink.net>; <mbrewe1@hotmail.com>; <catdog@pioneeris.net>; ><hg@warwick.net>; <FerritsKnG@cs.com>; <perk1@mercurylink.net>; ><pulido19@aol.com>; <reynoldsj2@Winthrop.edu>; ><ricochetrabbit57@hotmail.com>; <mecookie47@hotmail.com> >Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 9:28 PM >Subject: Fw: Information Please >

>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Diane" <kd62180@yahoo.com> >> To: "Ang" <ang133@hotmail.com>; "Anita" <RedCarnation-22@webtv.net>; >"Chay" >> <chayanna@webtv.net>; "Jacque" <perk2@mercurylink.net>; "Kristen" >> <Krazy_boo82@yahoo.com>; "Lynne" <Klwads@yahoo.com>; "Marsha" >> <kahula58@hotmail.com>; "Michelle" <anutty61@hotmail.com>; "Pam" >> <dutchms@hotmail.com>; "Susan" <samaluco@webtv.net>; "Tammy" >> <tmurphy@citlink.net>; "Val" <Valsy38@hotmail.com> >> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 9:49 AM >> Subject: Information Please >> >> > Get yourselves a box of tissues! >> > >> > INFORMATION PLEASE >> > ==================== >> > >> > When I was very young, my father had one of the first >> > telephones in our neighborhood. >> > >> > I remember well, the polished old case fastened to the >> > wall and the shiny receiver on the side of the box. I >> > was too little to reach the telephone, but used to >> > listen with fascination when my mother would talk to >> > it. >> > >> > Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful >> > device lived an amazing person and her name was >> > "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not >> > know. >> > >> > "Information Please" could supply anybody's number and >> > the correct time. >> > >> > My first personal experience with this >> > genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was >> > visiting a neighbor. >> > >> > Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I >> > whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible >> > but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying >> > because there was no one home to give me sympathy. >> > >> > I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, >> > >> > finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! >> > >> > Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and >> > held it to my ear. >> > >> > "Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just >> > above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice >> > spoke into my ear. >> > >> > "Information." >> > >> > "I hurt my finger," I wailed into the phone. The tears >> > came readily enough now that I had an audience. >> > >> > "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. >> > >> > "Nobody's home but me," I blubbered. >> > >> > "Are you bleeding?" the voice asked. >> > >> > "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with a hammer and it >> > >> > hurts." >> > >> > "Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could. >> > >> > "Then chip off a piece of ice and hold it to your >> > finger," said the voice. >> > >> > After that, I called "Information Please" for >> > everything. >> > >> > I asked her for help with my geography and she told me >> > where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. >> > She told me that my pet chipmunk, which I had caught >> > in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and >> > nuts. >> > >> > Then there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I >> > called "Information Please" and told her the sad >> > story. >> > >> > She listened, then said the usual thing grown ups say >> > to soothe a child. But,I was inconsolable. >> > >> > I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so >> > beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end >> > up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?" >> > >> > She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said >> > quietly, "You must remember that there are other >> > worlds to sing in." >> > >> > Somehow, I felt better. >> > >> > Another day I was on the telephone. "Information >> > Please." >> > >> > "Information," said the now familiar voice. >> > >> > "How do you spell fix?" I asked. >> > >> > All this took place in a small town in the Pacific >> > Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across >> > the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. >> > "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box >> > back home and somehow I never thought of trying the >> > tall, new shiny phone that sat on the >> > table in the hall. >> > >> > As I grew into my teens, the memories of those >> > childhood conversations never really left me. Often in >> > moments of doubt and perplexity, I would recall the >> > serene sense of security I had then. >> > >> > I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind >> > she was to have spent her time on a little boy. >> > >> > A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane >> > put down in Seattle. I had about half-an-hour or so >> > between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone >> > with my sister who lived there now. >> > >> > Then, without thinking about what I was doing, I >> > dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information >> > Please." >> > >> > Miraculously, I heard the small clear voice I knew so >> > well. >> > >> > "Information." >> > >> > I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, >> > "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?" >> > >> > There was a long pause. >> > >> > Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger >> > must be healed by now." >> > >> > I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said. "I >> > wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me >> > during that time?" >> > >> > "I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls >> > meant to me. I never had any children and I used to >> > look forward to your calls." >> > >> > I told her how often I had thought of her over the >> > years and asked if I could call her again when I came >> > back to visit mysister. >> > >> > "Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally." >> > >> > Three months later, I was back in Seattle. >> > >> > A different voice answered, >> > >> > "Information." I asked for Sally. >> > >> > "Are you a friend?" she said. >> > >> > "Yes, a very old friend," I answered. >> > >> > "I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. >> > "Sally had been working part time in the last few >> > years because she was sick. >> > >> > She died five weeks ago." >> > >> > Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Are >> > you Paul?" >> > >> > "Yes." >> > >> > "Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down >> > in case you called when she was too sick to work. >> > >> > Let me read it to you." The note said, >> > >> > "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing >> > in. He'll know what I mean." >> > >> > I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant. >> > Never underestimate the impression you make on others. >> > >> > http://taxes.yahoo.com/ >> > >>


Enter keywords:
Returns per screen: Require all keywords: