The telephone

Once again, from 1955, an ad from the phone company suggesting that you install an extension phone for "only pennies a day."

Back then maybe people we're still on a party line so you could listen in on your neighbors.

And the telephone itself belonged to the phone company. You paid rent on it every month. It was very durable and had zero features. You had two choices - wall or desk.

Things are different now. Does the phone company even offer phones for sale or rent?

And the joke these days is the kid who searches the house for the lost cordless phone, only to suggest that someone ought to invent one with a wire attached!

Or, no land line at all. 20% of us have no home phone service at all.

"Ahoy, ahoy!"