rainstorm brings return party line phone finally good news challenge brother’s keeper
by dr mark ross 
columnist

if family shared party line phone i remember i remember big black rotary phone hung wall phone rotary did crank party line
i like think i young children disagree “older dirtâ€ terms endearment having party line lived lived
prior world ii party lines rule rural america number homes share phone line homes community
the technology created number challenges long distance calls involved operator right home charged make line lot pickups hang ups patient
arguably greatest inconvenience lack privacy neighbors listen conversation 
i certain quirk source great frustration i just sure source great entertainment television radio available channels limited pick listen party line
i shared party line weeks ago smyth county just experienced rainstorm flooding mainly just wet electricity flickered remained working phone service neighborhood did fare well
phones went completely apparently wires just wet crossed phone ring answer picked up
some neighbors different challenge tried make voices line neighbor recognized “mary youâ€
“yes thisâ€
“it’s neighbor fran streetâ€
“well did like happened days odd funny finally neighbor “it sort niceâ€ people spoken years caught folks normally just waved conversation admittedly strange people talking worked
one haunting questions bible god’s rhetorical question cain “where brotherâ€ cain answers question “am i brother’s keeperâ€ lame defense fell apart cain brother’s keeper we
privacy overvalued private lines party lines stoops porches privacy comes high price brother know neighbors
some say smyth county “if know doing just ask neighborâ€ far brother’s keeper alternative worse
i confess i missed neighborhood’s temporary party line phone lines dry wet i picked phone couple dozen times i able eavesdrop static 
everyone glad lines finally dried i think people appreciate privacy i think kind miss party

dr mark ross pastor marion baptist church learn mbc visit