Now that we all walk around with a tiny computer in our pocket, the days of payphones feel like a lifetime ago.
Seeing a payphone out in the wild feels like spotting an ancient artifact.
But those of us who grew up with payphones know it was a special time to be had.
Remember making collect calls? For the Gen Z readers, calling collect was when you didn’t have the 75 cents, or whatever the cost of the call was. You would dial 1-800-COLLECT and then the number. The person answering would have the option to accept or decline the call. If they accepted, the charge would show up on their phone bill. If they declined, well you were out of luck.
There was a fun and flirty loop hole that if you wanted to leave a quick message and not get charged, you could say your message really fast in the space where you were supposed to record your name. The call would go something like this:
Operator: Hello, you are receiving a call from (pause)
Me: MOM, COME PICK ME UP FROM VOLLEYBALL!
Operator: Do you accept this charge?
Mom: No! She can walk home!
Just kidding. But my mom wouldn’t accept it because she didn’t need to! The message was received. *Sigh* those were the days.
I was scrolling to see what the fun people of Reddit were up to and I saw someone came across this payphone in Intervale, New Hampshire, and man did it take me back. And get this, it still works! AND it only costs 10 cents per phone call as it should.
Another forgotten aspect of payphone culture is they were a hot spot for vandalism, right up there with the bathroom stall wall.
This one has all kinds of mixed messages and conflicting ideologies on it but hey, it’s part of the charm:
New Hampshire via Reddit
New Hampshire via Reddit
I can’t help but wonder if Cheyo and Sarah are still together.
2 years ago, SupercatN64 on Reddit put together a list of the working payphones in New Hampshire. Do you have any to add the to list?
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Whether it’s trying to pack too much in to one trip (figuratively and also literally ion their suitcase) or choosing to dine at the tourist traps over the mom and pop shops, people who visit New Hampshire deserve to experience all our fine state has to offer. Let the mistakes of tourists from our past help shape your visit in the future.
Gallery Credit: Kira
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Gallery Credit: Megan Murphy
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Publish date : 2024-09-18 03:53:00
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