She was born <br />into a world <br /> <br />without telephone...television <br />motor car or aeroplane <br /> <br />“all the damn modern things” <br /> <br />she never did get used to <br />even when they invidiously invaded her life. <br /> <br />Even now <br />in her little one room flat <br /> <br />at the end of her life <br />she berates the telephone. <br /> <br />“It just rings and...rings! ” <br /> <br />She loudly complains. <br /> <br />“And that’s why I don’t answer the thing! ” <br /> <br />“It won’t...leave me alone! ” <br /> <br />I ask her <br />with laughter <br /> <br />what did folks do <br /> <br />without these things <br /> <br />how did they get by. <br /> <br />“What did folks do? ” <br /> <br />She sighs <br />as if telling a child: <br /> <br />“We used to...love one another! ”<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/what-folks-did-for-lyn/