I have been thinking a lot about old telephone numbers ever since my sister-in-law shared this little tidbit the other day:

“Shout out to everyone who can still remember their childhood telephone numbers, but cannot remember the password they created yesterday. YOU are my people!”

Isn’t that the truth. I have a friend who has a notebook full of passwords. He changes his constantly. I am not that creative. I like the simple times when numbers and passwords did not have to change.

The MARVELETTES hit song from 1961 was one of the first telephone numbers I could remember. Beechwood 45789 was a catchy little tune that will get stuck in your mind if you let it. A few years later along came BR-549, the fictional 5-digit phone number of Junior Samples used car dealership, specializing in what at best could be described “challenged” used cars, made famous on the hit TV show Hee Haw!

After dial phones came to town our telephone number was 486-2424. That number was assigned to the Sheriff’s office, and we had that number until January 1, 1973, when Dad’s 16-year career as County Sheriff came to an end. Prior to Dad’s being elected Sheriff, we had a different number, but I was not old enough to use the phone or have the capacity to retain it all these years later. In 1973 our new number was 3216, which Mom and Dad had until Mom passed in late 2005. I believe my niece Sonya requested and received that number while she lived in town for nostalgic reasons.

In 1975, while living in Kansas City, I met a pretty, blond girl. Still living at home, with her parents, she made quite the impression on me. Have never forgotten that girl or the original number, 358-4757. On April 16, we will be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary. Her parents had that same number until about 10 years ago when GG moved to another city.

When we moved to South Bend in 1987, I asked for an easy number to remember. We received 271-0990. Awesome. Not really, Gurley-Leep Auto Groups repair shop had 272-0990. (Gurley-Leep is the Indiana version of Jim Butler Auto Group here in Missouri, always busier than hell!). We must have received 10 calls a day from customers wanting service. When we answered: “Heberle’s” they would always say: “This is not Gurley-Leep?” “No, you want 272-0990.” Had that 0990 number 27 years, you would have thought with all the calls we directed to their service department we would have received at least one free oil change. Nope, even when I asked. We gave up that number in 2014.

Did you have a particular phone number that you remember growing up? Have a little fun with your friends, see if you can remember the numbers you called, way back when.

See you next month.