Everyone on the phone at same time
By bonnie
@bunnybon7 (50973)
Holiday, Florida
June 26, 2012 7:50pm CST
wow we have sure come a long way since i was young
I went in the front room to tell oldest son about something on tv but he was on the phone, couldnt tell him. then went out to tell youngest son about it and he was on his phone
then started to go tell daughter when the house phone rang and it was for her
when I was a little girl, you could be on the phone at your house and try and call but if someone else was on your "party line" usually it was other houses on the street where you lived that shared the same line, you had to wait till they was done talking to make your call, or tell them its an emergency, (sometimes you could listen in if you was really quiet) lol!! and nosey. anyway, its such a lark that nearly everyone in one small house can be on their phones at the same time. Have you ever seen everyone in your house on the phone at same time? then you are talking to yourself or have to call someone on your phone. LOL! Have any of you heard about the old party lines?
I went in the front room to tell oldest son about something on tv but he was on the phone, couldnt tell him. then went out to tell youngest son about it and he was on his phone then started to go tell daughter when the house phone rang and it was for her when I was a little girl, you could be on the phone at your house and try and call but if someone else was on your "party line" usually it was other houses on the street where you lived that shared the same line, you had to wait till they was done talking to make your call, or tell them its an emergency, (sometimes you could listen in if you was really quiet) lol!! and nosey. anyway, its such a lark that nearly everyone in one small house can be on their phones at the same time. Have you ever seen everyone in your house on the phone at same time? then you are talking to yourself or have to call someone on your phone. LOL! Have any of you heard about the old party lines?4 people like this
15 responses
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
27 Jun 12
we didn't have a party line when I was growing up. We had the one house phone which was a private line though I did have friends who had the party line.
My son talks on line and I came out to say something to him and he is on the line talking with his friends.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
27 Jun 12
lol,
mine will take to me and I think we are still talking and I answer something he says and then he gets annoyed because it was meant for his friend.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
i know and its the same here except he doesnt want interuption and waves at me to be still and wait. by the time hes off a few minutes, im either busy with something else or have forgotten what i was going to say. 
@ryanong (9664)
• Vietnam
27 Jun 12
We don't have a party line in here.
Based on what you talk about a party line, i think it is quite fun when many people are on the phone at same time. 
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
they were on their individual cell phones in different rooms. talking to different people. but its not much fun if you want to talk with them as they get agitated with me for interupting.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
oh and i dont think there are any more party lines. this was like 50 yrs ago here in USA
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
2 Jul 12
Though I have personally never experienced a party line, I have heard a lot about them and think that it would have been something that would have been really irritating to have to deal with.
As far as everyone in the house being on the phone at the same time, this is not something that has ever happened at our house because the children don't have a phone. What we will do from time to time that is pretty funny, however, is that there are times that I will call my husband from another room to get him to do something for me.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Jul 12
it would be to others these days. when i was a kid, we hardly ever used the phone except in emergencies or to make a quick call. some teenagers or people who was dating would hang on the phone but i never did nor anyone in my family. 
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
6 Jul 12
I have seen that before. But we do live in a digital word today and everyone could have their own phone. It is a far cry from 30 years ago when we had to use the house phone. Or maybe a cordless phone. I loved those when they came out. But I really love the technology we have. I would be one that would either be on the phone if I were young or on the internet.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
6 Jul 12
yes i guess we do. but its keeping families and friends farther apart in the same house. instead of closer. its causing some to live in their own little world by having no one to talk to about things concerning NOW in their own home
instead of closer. its causing some to live in their own little world by having no one to talk to about things concerning NOW in their own home1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
6 Jul 12
hi dear bunnybon I am 50 but never heard about these party lines. When we got a phone I was 4 and that was our line only then.
Got my first phone when I was 27 and still living at my mothers place so I could phone from my room and not have anyone listen to what I say plus I didnt need to pay attention to anyone criticizing me for talking too long as I was the one who paid for it.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
8 Jul 12
yes i remember when i was 15yrs, i think the party lines were gone by then, but my friend had a phone of her own with her own line in her room she'd gotten as a birthday present and she stayed on it all the time. 
@musicluv4life (1867)
• United States
27 Jun 12
I have never heard of a party line, i must be young haha.
But, i have seen everyone in my house at the same time, once i was at the beach and we were all on the phone at the same time there too it was funny.
I love having a cell phone i must say.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
yes i guess you are at least under 40 i bet. all younger people are phone addicted these days. no talking to anyone face to face.
@musicluv4life (1867)
• United States
27 Jun 12
Yeah, i will be 19 in august.
I kind of wish i wasnt so phone oriented with texting because, i have always been shy so when i have to talk to someone in person i have no idea what to say and i am horriable at keeping a conversation going.
My boyfriend on the other hand will talk and talk and talk in person hes so good at that, he will be 23 the end of july.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
27 Jun 12
We had one, and thought we were in heaven when we went to a private line.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
yes guess everyone liked it and the cell phones even more now. 
@chiyosan (30181)
• Philippines
28 Jun 12
Haha! =) that is right! i remember we also had a party line and well the first generation of cellular phones in the Philippines did suffer the same issue where i would like hear my phone ring and when i answer it someone was on the other line speaking to each other and they cannot hear me even if i screamed my lungs out. Technology does really have improved or changed a lot since then and it was really such a big leap from what was before to what is in for us now. We even have internet on our phones! I have never even thought it would happen so quick and that i would be able to enjoy such as well.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
28 Jun 12
me to. todays technology just blows me away and it gets more and more complicated yet better if you know what to do. its just so hard to learn.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
27 Jun 12
I remember those party lines, we had one because we couldn't afford a regular line. It didn't really bother us because none of us in my family really enjoyed talking on the phone and used it very rarely. We're still that way and none of my family uses the phone much, we only really have cell phones for emergencies and about the only time our phones ring it's salesmen or political crap.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
28 Jun 12
i didnt know it was to save money. i just knew mom had the party line when i was a kid. ive never been one to hang on the phone. guess thats why my cell phone and the kids always talking on theirs annoys me yes our landline is mostly used for doctors appointments and things for me. and some crap calls from sales sometimes
yes our landline is mostly used for doctors appointments and things for me. and some crap calls from sales sometimes
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
27 Jun 12
I think all the young people have telephone-itus, lol. I know both my sons do. They stay on them constantly when they are here. U can't visit w/them especially my youngest because he stays on the phone the whole time he is here.There is noone to see at my house but me, lol.I do remember the party lines, my grandmother had one when i was a kid.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
yes thats the truth. all them stay on the phone here nearly constant. i guess what the old lady (me) wants to discuss isnt interesting to them. we had a party line in a small town when i was between ages 9 to 12yrs.
@jazel_juan (15745)
• Philippines
27 Jun 12
I know what you mean bunny, its like every single person now owns a phone but glad we are not that way at home.. we try our best to not use it as much as possible at home if it is not important.
But it was that way when i still in college, i have my phone and my mom has one and dad has one...and we also have a landline phone and we eventually had it disconnected as my mom would not call at the phone anymoer instead she would call me in my mobile and i reach her thru her mobile too so no one uses the phone anymore! lol.I was also that addicted to mobile phones before that i am always using it..
but not now, i only use it for important reasons, i guess priorities do change when you have kids.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
maybe thats it. no small kids in the house. all grown up. and cell phone addicted.
@laken02 (3065)
• United States
27 Jun 12
yes i remember the old party lines, we shared with 3 other people neighbors,
and lucky us , they burned up and never got off, you would haveto get on and intrupt there conversation and say i need to you the phone, then afet they got off
it would not be 5 min, until someone would get on and say i need to you the phone,
and there was no privacy at all, everyone knew everyone's business, it was a small town anyhow and still is.. and seem when i go back nthing has changed ? except
this year not long ago a huge tonrado came thur and tore up jack, lucky no one was hurt, but they had to rebuild lots of stuff, i think it shook that little town up
pretty bad.. i have not been back since, but i saw video and heard from a few old friends about it.. very sad.. but i have to say that town was the noisety town
i have ever seen, and even without party phone lines...
take care thanks for the mememories ..:)
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
you are welcome. it just made me think, oh for the days when you actually had a chance to talk to your family. people knew what went on in their families lives then to. not like now where a couple dont even know each others business that live together
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
27 Jun 12
Times have changed and I'm sure they will continue. I remember a old coworker tell me about the block sharing lines, and you only used phones for emegencies. Now people sit on the phone for hours, upon hours. I personally don't but I do have a cellphone, and sometimes I wonder how it would be without them. I remember my sister use to sit on the phone with her boyfriend for hours same with my younger brother. I'm not one to sit and talk for hours I would get bored.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
me to. but the older kids of mine would sit for hours talking to their friends as teens. i could never do that. i have pics of my oldest and in almost every one we laughed looking at a while back, he was on the phone
@maxzo11 (24)
• Bulgaria
27 Jun 12
in our time the phones are needed, it's a fact! the phones are small, compact and not just fot talking, they are small computers , do much more work than the old line phone. my little son already know how to do with my smartphone, take it and talk, I play game on my phone, listening to music, talking with video chat. old phones no have this features :)
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
28 Jun 12
yes you are right in this fast paced world today. ive been thinking of getting a smart phone but not sure i can afford it
@GardenGerty (162370)
• United States
27 Jun 12
I grew up in a large enough city that we did not have party lines, but my grandparent's did. I knew their ring, but I did not know the people well enough to really want to snoop on the others. Besides that my grandma would have had my hide.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Jun 12
so would my mom have if id done it much. the couple times i tried it, people would say, stop listening! whos there? get off this phone and id hang up real quick afraid they knew it was me. 
