A Martime's View

Knock, Knock, who's there ? The door is opened because there is a knock, or the doorbell rang. Now it is the phone. "If the phone rings, Answer it". We were always so happy to hear from people. Today, we take it off the hook.

It was always assumed that if someone came to the door we would open it. But now with the telephone, the next method of communication in the last century; has become an invasion into our private lives. Tele-marketing people continued to call. And then there is the telephone survey or the remainders of the yearly visit to the dentist or vet

There was a time when there were too many knocks at the door by salesmen or strangers and the door was open into the invisible world of "refusal to talk to them". Next, the telephone became the first contact these strangers had; and technology with caller display and answering machines gave us a choice.

Walking down the street we accept we do not talk to everyone we pass. More spam e-mail than actual friends seem to be the norm if you are on the web. But today, we accepted that we have the right to refuse to communicate.

But what about visits and that knock at the door? Do we still go to the door ?

We sort of say, with the telephone, technology has removed the effort of friends to visit. If someone drives across town to visit us; should we welcome them in. In our invisible world of excluding a telephone, or an e-mail... ; we raison, No effort made .. No need to reply.

I remember, a friend, whom felt it was normal to not answer the door if she did not feel like having company. She argued, "If it is not a friend or family, I do not want to be interrupted" and "If it is a friend or family, they know that I expect them to call before coming"

We are invaded regularly. And worst of all, these people expect you to be polite. Beggers on the street expect that because they asked, you should give something... Like the windshield washers at the corner.

Lets all remember that our friends have their schedule, which may not leave "Come in " time.