ATC - May 30 - One Ringy Dingy or The Accidental Career

Ms D's ATC this week brings with it a WHOLE whack of misbegotten and partly forgotten adventures..or as she would probably say:

FUN with BCTel and Telus (not!)

Her ATC shows 'The Boot' as the BCTel/Telus building was not so affectionately known by, especially during the Long Hot Summer Strike in the 80's.

One of the mugs that sprouted up on various desks at that time said 'Let's give the Boot, the BOOT! with a pic of a well aimed kick toppling the building.
Funny how I hadn't thought of that in years..but on to mine.
And yes, Ernestine was our Heroine!
May She Live Forever on Youtube.

Why accidental?
Because I honestly thought that my Telephony career would only be a ' summer job' on my way to higher things like University or a brilliant writing career...HA! nope..there I was 27 years later with these various BCTel/Telus careers under my belt:

1) Telephone Operator (favourite phrase at the time: "I'm so sorry you lost your dime.") which became a perfect response to a very bitchy male customer: "I'm so sorry it's your time of the month."
If you are puzzled by the red flag reference in the ATC, the Red Flag was inserted into a slot above your seat on the board and was a signal to the Supervisor that you wanted to be relieved.
The catch: they only allowed 4 off at at time and the usual shift comprised around 20 ladies.
You do the math.

2) Marine Operator (ok..try calling the Fog Ducker three times in a row and see if you don't screw it up!)

3) Overseas Operator (Weh? Weh? Canadai chan do, ding wah. - Hello Hello, Canada Overseas calling)

4) Directory Assistance and ONI (Operator Number Identification) (two of the most boring jobs ever..''your rubber knees" was our best ONI joke.) but I did learn that alphabetically the MCs and Macs came before the rest of the M's and there actually was a Harry Hole Excavating Company.

Then after a somewhat chequered working existence outside the telephony 'box', I came back and slowly worked my way back up the wage pole, first delivering Mail at the Boot (I learned all 21 floor plans) then Stats Analysis for a Manager, to finally setting in and setting up protocals for a new computerized billing system (laughingly called Bill2000 as it gleefully ran until 2002!)
Looking back, this was all pretty amazing since to this day I can't add and panic when I have to make change.

Blessings to all those ancient telephone operators out there, who remember a time when answering the phone Politely was a given.
Shanti