Phone Numbers That Aren't Numbers

[tiltjlp]

I'll bet this will give more than a few of you a good laugh, but keep in mind I'm 64, and don't have the memory I once did. I'm also not a texter, and don't want to play a game before I make a phone call. What gripes me no end is the habit many companies have, probably wanting to appear hip, of listing their phone number as words and not actual numbers.

There's no way getting around it, since this new thing is used in TV ads, print ads, and even in the phone book. I notice that more and more companies are now only using words, rather than listing the actual number along with the words. What finally made me post about this is that a local lawyer who has only used Call Tom now lists the actual numbers, since maybe he noticed a drop in new clients.

If I want to order a pizza, I'm going to call 555-5555 rather than IM HUNGRY, even if IM HUNGRY has the best price and just as good pizza. I see this as one more example of the dumbing down of society. Since young people constantly text, I guess they don't even know what a number is. No wonder our math and reading scores suffer when compared to the rest of the world.

I know this trend isn't going to change, but I don't have to like it, and this is my only way of protesting against it. So laugh at me if you want. And I guess a few of you will waste your time explaining to me that it isn't important, but actually it is, since high schools keep graduating young fools who can't speak proper English, can't write a proper sentence, and don't care about anything other than texting.