I remember crank phones. Pick it up and have “Sarah” ring Floyd’s barbershop or whatever. Later we had a black phone, but no dial. Pick it up and click the receiver a couple times to get the operator. Wanted electricity? Turn on the generator. Rural electrification was still a few years off. Wanted cool milk? Go get some out of the root cellar through the trap door in the kitchen floor. Sweating in 95 degree heat trying to get to sleep? Wait for the end of September to get the “air conditioning” turned on.
Great for making crank phone calls. "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?"