Why a Vermont man is resurrecting pay phones
I pass an old, dead pay phone just about every day in my hometown. Its cord cut, its booth forgotten, its purpose long gone. I remember what it was like to use them—when calling across town or the country took effort.
Turns out, a man in Vermont doesn’t just remember. Patrick Schlott, an engineer, is refurbishing old pay phones and letting people use them for free. He told Popular Science, “People are remembering what we used to have. If you’re old enough, you recognize a pay phone as something that is for you.”
Just because a piece of tech is old doesn’t mean it’s useless. For a long time, it was one of the few ways we connected, and it certainly got me out of a few jams.
Now most are rust. But thanks to Schlott, a few ring again, reminders that connection doesn’t always need to be upgraded.
So what about you—what piece of “obsolete” tech would you bring back?
Let me know in the comments and check out more at jamesabrown.net.
On that note, I’m James Brown, and as always—be well.
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Transcript
This is the Daily Note.
Speaker A:I'm James A.
Speaker A:Brown.
Speaker A:I pass an old, dead pay phone just about every day in my hometown.
Speaker A:It's cord cut and its purpose long, long gone.
Speaker A:I remember what it was like to use them when calling across town or the country took effort, and so does a man from Vermont.
Speaker A:Patrick Schlott, an engineer, is refurbishing old payphones and letting people use them for free.
Speaker A:He told POPULAR SCIENCE that people are remembering what we used to have.
Speaker A:I'm with Patrick on this one because for a long time, payphones was one of the few things we used to connect with each other.
Speaker A:Now, thanks to Patrick, a few of these ring now and again.
Speaker A:So what do you think?
Speaker A:Let me know@jamesabrown.net or call me.
Speaker A: -: Speaker A:On that note, I'm James A.
Speaker A:Brown, and as always, be well.
