Facebook Before There Was Facebook

I was talking with my son today as we drove down the freeway. We passed a truck that had two enormous antennae. As with everything, he had a strong opinion if not intimate knowledge of the purpose of each. I said they reminded me of the old CB antenna we had on our family car when I was growing up. He had no idea what I was talking about.

I told him how in the 70's it was all the rage for the common man to have a CB radio in their car just like all the truckers did. His grandfather, my father, had one. His handle was the Texas Kingmaker and he thought he was the coolest thing in a Pontiac. It was a way to communicate with others on the road of life, so to speak. A way to connect.

I got to thinking about it and was reminded of how my grandfather used to hold up in his bedroom every evening. He had a little telegraph device by his bedside and he would sit there and tap and listen and tap and listen. It was a way to communicate with others. A way to connect.

I guess we haven't changed all that much in these few generations. I suppose in days gone by people sat around on the porch or campfire and did their connecting. We are too spread out for that now. Too many people are too many different places. I, for one, am grateful for the advances in communication devices that have allowed us to still hang out in the evening and chat. We tap and listen and tap and listen. It's a way to connect. I like it. And I type much better than I use Morse code.