Operator, oh could you help me place this call?

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Most of us here remember the ''old days'' of the operator answering if we picked up the landline phone and dialed ''O'' --the operator usually answered very promptly. I was one of those operator ladies. I applied for and started working at it part time before I graduated from high school, I wanted the job as the hours were fairly decent and the benefits were wonderful. As soon as school was out, I was full time. After a short training period, I was out to learn the ropes. Remember, this was a time when every phone call not classed as a local call, was a long distance call--with an additional charge on the bill. Most of us grew up either hearing, or saying--hang up, it's long distance!! People called the operator for everything, I had no idea all of the questions I would get. I recall several that drove us all nuts, they were so dumb...yep. Do you have any ideas on what I can make for dinner? What time is it? Do you know the temperature in (any city, any state, any country)... Do you know what time city hall opens? Do you know where I go to vote? Who can I call to bring me a hot dinner? My child won't stop crying, what can I do? And this was just the tip of the iceberg. People placed a lot of operator-handled calls. If they called person-to-person, the operator had to stay on the line until the designated person was located and on the phone, then exit so the talk could begin. A LOT of people used the person-to-person thing to ask for someone by a pre-arranged signal, which could mean anything, but they planned it so that the call would be placed, the operator would ask for the person, and when told the person was not available, that ended the call. Usually it meant something like ''come and get me'' or ''pick me up, Mom'' but they didn't get charged for the call, as the person said the person asked for wasn't there. I did this for a year, then we moved to another city for college and I was glad to get a different job there. The worst question, one we all got usually at least once a day, was when people called and demanded we call the White House, person to person for the President. And we had to do it, even though we knew the call would never get to the President. So, we would make the call, and when the White House answered, say ''I have a person to person call for President ---then of course the White House operator would say, he isn't available. The caller would leave a number, but of course no one ever called them back. Then we would have the callers that would call the operator and say they just knew we knew secret numbers for the President, and we better hurry up and get him on the line, as the caller had something to say....we were also swore at more than any other job I ever had, past or future. A good job, but one that could try anyone's patience. Any other former telephone operators out there?