For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 06, 2014

Younger readers may not recall that long-distance phone calls used to cost money. A lot of money.

Last night I asked my daughter to do something. Jokingly, I said, “Please, please, PLEEEEEEEEEASE?” My daughter said, “Mom, remember the rule: begging gets an automatic ‘NO’!” Busted!

and the phone cord! another dated concept from landlines.

This was long distance when it was a big deal.

When I was a kid, when you picked up the phone, the operator asked you for the number you wanted to call — and it was 4 digits long, and she connected you to it. Half the time when you picked up the phone, it was already in use if you had a two-party line.

We still have a landline though no rotary dial.

I still prefer the landline (and have extensions in most rooms). My cell is a simple flip for travel and emergencies.

I use a no monthly charge VOIP, and calls to the US are 1¢/min and most industrialized places in the world are less than 10¢/min. Calls to 3rd world places are quite expensive.

That’s not how I read it. He badgers her and badgers her, regardless of what she’s talking about with Connie, and when she finally gives in and hands him the phone, then he acts all polite “Are you sure you’re finished?” Classic riff. IRL, she would have rolled her eyes and said something snarky. Or I would, anyway.

Of course she could have handed Mike the phone after hitting the disconnect button in the handset…

It’s based on her life, not a direct example of her life. The characters aren’t QUITE as rich as Johnston’s family got (note that John & Rod had the same job- Elly however, was a housewife, and not a successful cartoonist).