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Voices from the past

I made a phone call.

That phone call got me to thinking about all the different phones I’ve used over the years. And yes, this will date me, but so what?

Our family farm phone was a wall hanging phone with a long “nose” you spoke into and a hand held earphone on a wire. You turned the crank on the side of the phone and that got you to the operator. Then, you told her who you wanted to have a conversation with over the phone. Since all phones were connected to a party line — meaning more that one person on each phone line — the operator made the call using a personal designated ring code and that’s how you knew if you should answer the phone. Our ring code consisted of two short rings and one long ring.

Of course, if you were nosy, you picked up your receiver and listened to the phone call — there was a name for people like that but I wouldn’t use it for decency reasons!

Then, we got a table phone and we were on our own line — magnificent advance in technology! As some of us know, the Princess phone was one everyone desired — it was so nice looking and cool. When obtained, you were the top of the heap — not sure what kind of heap but it was … so cool!

Dialing went from talking to the operator, to a spin dial to a push button operation and then the biggie occurred. A clam shell cell phone that was awesome — at the time. Then the first flat cell phones hit the market followed by what we have today — various versions of the smartphone. Advances, advances … it’s nice to remember those voices from the past, either the type of phone or the actual voices you heard over them.

Because I tend to delve rather deeply into beverage literature, I am always coming across past liquids I’ve consumed over the years. I like to think of them as voices from the past, too. They have all spoken to me in someway — some were kinder to me than others but, hey, that’s life!

Hamm’s Beer was probably the first brew I ever tasted. It was home state brewed, crisp on the palate and easy sipping. Every once in awhile I have to get some Hamm’s because, well, it’s a voice from the past and that voice brings back good family memories. Who doesn’t remember its advertising song: “From the Land of Sky Blue Waters…”?

Of course, there was also Grain Belt — another home state made beer. So naturally, it was tasted and made part of my history book. Although a good beer, I never imbibed enough of it to really get to know it — I was pretty innocent back in the day and such liquids seldom entered me.

Budweiser was around, but goodness sake, that wasn’t made in Minnesota! Ugh!

In college, along with a couple of classmates, I would periodically go out for a cocktail. We all knew nothing about cocktails but somewhere I had read about one called a screwdriver — made of vodka and orange juice. That couldn’t be too bad, right? Even to this day, I hear that old voice of the screwdriver and feel the need to began our conversation again.

And then wines made their debut within me and the world was changed. So many interesting tastes and so much history with my old friend, wine. It’s a voice from the past that I am very happy to revisit and to seek out new friendships. Let’s raise a glass!

There are blends of wine that are amazing and one that I thoroughly enjoy is Ménage à Trois Silk — a Soft Red Blend. The wine consists of Pinot Noir, Malbec and Petite Sirah and produces a luscious full mouth taste with notes of softness, heft and a slight bit of spice. Absolutely a delicious wine that will become a continuing voice in my wine list.

Oh, that phone call I mentioned earlier…

Awhile ago, I called an old friend whom I haven’t seen for years. He went his way, I went mine and the years fly by us. For some reason, I needed to hear his voice and soon there it was ringing in my ear. I would’ve recognized it anywhere — it hadn’t changed, maybe a bit deeper but the lilt and resonance was like I remembered from high school.

Let’s not ignore those voices from the past. If they are floating through your head, maybe it’s time to connect again? Use that invention called the phone!

However, as much as I honor those voices from the past, I’ll never stop looking forward to hearing new voices — whatever or whomever they come from.

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!

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