esrosedotblog

TELEGRAMS

End of an era:

The Telegram

If you are under the age of—what? forty?—will have ever gotten a telegram.

It came on a yellow paper and pasted on was a ribbon of words.

I am sure you have seen them in old movies.

I got a few in my time.

They were always charged with excitement because they were rare and, somehow, very special.

A lot of death notices came on telegrams; so much better than having to tell the news face to face or on the phone.

The technology grew out of the telegraph key; a little printer at the end produced ticker tape. That is no longer with us either. No more ticker tape parades.

But, telegrams brought good news too. And flowers. Western Union went into the flower delivery business to try to save itself.

For a long time, money orders could be sent as well. Maybe that will still continue.

End of an era.