May I Borrow a Quarter? I Was Stunned To See One Of These In Lavallette, NJ

I could not believe what I stumbled upon in Lavallette.

Now, I’ve walked 35 north, Grand Central Ave, a dozen times.  This is the first time I noticed not one, but two antiques of a “simpler time.”

I’m really going to say this but “back in my day…” (I really do hate myself for that) there weren’t smartphones, tablets, or even that trusty flip phone we all use to carry around, but there were alternative ways of getting in contact with people.

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Yes, there was really a time when you could go “off the grid” just by leaving your house.  Think about that.  You walk out the door, and no one can call you, text you, or email you.  It was beautiful.  I mean, I barely remember that, because, at a “younger” age, I always tried to say connected with horrible tech.  So now, it’s a love/hate relationship.

One method for someone to get in touch with you is the trusty pager, oh yeah, that was an object that you wore on your hip.

If someone needed you in a hurry, they would call your pager, then dial their number, and it would display on the screen.  Then you would call back.

I completely understand that if you’re under the age of 25 maybe even pushing 30, you vaguely remember the pager (or may not even know about the pager.)

If you didn’t have some type of mobile devices like a bag phone, car phone, or a massive cell phone, you would find some change laying around your car (or in your pocket) and find a payphone.

That was the device I found.  It looked very similar to this, but not one, there were two.

There are two Verizon payphones sitting right there in Lavallette.

I was waiting on the corner of Grand Central and New Brunswick ave.  I turned around and did a double-take.

I couldn’t believe it.

Like most people, nowadays, I didn’t have any change in me.  Come to think of it, I didn’t even have a wallet on me.

So, I couldn’t try it out.

I did lift the headset up and put it to my ear, no tone.  Not even sure if I would get a tone without the 25 cents.

I can’t imagine these are still working.  Just think, a few months ago, the biggest city in the United States New York City, removed its last payphone in Midtown.

One day, I’ll find a dollar laying around, and get some change to try these phones out.  If you know, please let me know.

I really do miss the days of not getting a text or email every ten minutes.