You see? It's a giant telephone. We worship this sort of thing. We strew wires then rub ourselves over with mobile phones. Here they are, laid out on a table, waiting for the high priest to bless them.
Of course when we're not following the cult called British Telecom, we're hanging by a selection of 1970s trim phones where we hope to make nuisance calls to the elderly and infirm.
I apologise.
I simply cannot confess I derive a sort of nerdy pleasure from a day in a field celebrating the history of the telephone.
Although I admit the young man who talked for several hours in an animated manner about the history of the telephone pole did become quite interesting. I know a lot more about that now than this time last week.
But what I truly love is the eccentricity of it all. The fact that it is so close to us, and happening in a field right by you. You need only come outside, and look.
In these green and pleasant lands of England you will discover a little gathering of experts staring intently at the ground measuring ant hills using a comparative analysis designed by a visiting scholar called Norman. Or you may find a gaggle of elderly men excitedly discussing species of woodlice. Or here will be the annual walk of ladies who celebrate knitting patterns 1970-1980. And there will be Grit, Dig, Shark, Squirrel and Tiger scrutinising a telephone pole and engaged in deep discussion with a telephone pole expert over the letter P.
Truly, look down your street. How many people and their harmless loves and gentle obsessions do you know live there? There may be more than you thought. I think you should come join us, and find out. What's happening in a field near you this weekend?
5 comments:
that is just SO COOL! LOVE the huge phone.
it's reminicent of the tiny private musuem we found dedicated to this chap who, among other things, had done a load of mold design work in early plastics and had designed the party candles train that's been in my family like FOREVER!
Finally I have an event that would enthrall all of you home edders! There is going to be a Fungi Walk through the local National Park (well part of it anyway) and they confidently expect to find previously undiscovered fungi!! Ta Dah! Unfortunately we are going out to lunch with our younger son to celebrate his impending 25th birthday (obviously he has better things to do on his birthday than visit his aging parents) so we have to forgo the possibility of discovering new species. Oh alright then, I admit it, we wouldn't have gone anyway but, if you were visiting, I would have risked life and limb and gone with you.
I know nothing about the truest nearest field close to me, except that sheep graze there and on one side there is a limestone hill with caves in it where you can sit and hide from the rain if you jump the hedge that separates the field from the path. The farmer won't like that! The grass is lush and green and wonderful to lie down in. On the hill there's a tree that you can climb fairly easily, so that you can get a wonderful view of everything. I've done it and they called me a monkey. If you dig in that field, you no doubt will find archaeological treasures, because it's beside an old village and the path is ancient.
i am quite passionate about local museums mamacrow. every town should have a least four or five!
that sounds good, sharon, and we would be there. but never mind you miss it this time. there will be a dedicated local group and they will send you a newsletter. just helping out here!
irene, that field, with everything in it, sounds wonderful!
DH sent us postcards from that very museum last week! :-)
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