Document text
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
STATE
NAME OF WORKER
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
FORMA
Circumstances of Interview
New York
Swenson
April 13, 1939
Folklore of Communications
ACA Postel Telegraph Operators
1. Date and timL, of _mterview
FOLKLORE
Na YORK
2. Place of interview
Worker's Lunchroom at 20 Broad St., 7th Floor
3. Name and address of informant
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in
touch with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanyinE you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which.the material refers.)
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Swenson
ADDRESS
DATE April 13, 1939
SUBJECT Folklore of Communications
ACA Postel Telegraph Operators
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
Hello Don how's the boy?
So, so. This cake is made of rubber.
You said it. I'm sick of the food around here. With
15 minutes its not enough to get to your locker and downstairs
seven flights to a cafeteria before time's up. You have to eat
here or not eat and they know it, so what do they give you?
goulash Say, !here you going on vacation this year?
I get two weeks in July. I think I'll go up North,
maybe Maine or else in the Adirondacks. Rent a cabin on a
lake. Think of it --for two whole weeks, 24 hours a day I won't
have to lay my eyes on one of those pink sheets with 'Postel Tell
on a blue border. No machines, no key pounding, no code strips,
no nothing only me and the mountain breezes and the sound of
the line and floater hitting the water Fishing from dawn to
dark oh boy
That reminds me last summer I went fishing with
my old man up around Cape Cod. Gee, those were two perfect
weeks. But, 50know the second day away, when I'd managed to
put Postel Tel in the attic, guess what? I get a wire a wire,
mind you from Ernie you know he was on the night shift
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so he sneaks a wire through to me, and it says in code "Don't forget to
sign the timesheet haw's your message rate? I'm having a swell time -4--
83 72 plus 444 Nish you was here." So I threw him a wire back collect
and I says, "To hell with timesheet. I sign in an the bay at 5 A.M. MY
mess rate today was 40 pounds of bass and bluefish. Having swell time with-
out you here." Haw do you like that? A peach, huh?
Yeah —We'd better shove along I got one minute. Hi, girls
Have a piece of rubber cake So long
Ruthie, Y'should of seen this dress --the top was all mesh, sort of
cream colored, with a full skirt and a narrow red velvet belt --very high
waisted.
I'll bet it's a darling on you. Soon's I get my cheek, I'm going
to get my blue coat cleaned, and get a pair of blue suede shoes, you know, with
a strap heel and an open toe. Look, here comes Selma --she's got a ring —wait,
she'll call your attention to it. She's been flashing it all over the place
Well, girls -look, at lastI
Oh, Selma, haw perfectly stunning. I'm so happy for you, dear. When' 11
it be?
Wait, let me get a bite into this--aaah--corn beef again —they don't
have no choice around here. Oh, well my dears, don't take this little gadget
so seriously you know, I haven't really thought of I haven't made up my
mind to marry Roy. I only agreed to be engaged to him ---He's a sweet boy ---I've
heen in love with him for two years --I never even see another fellow. You know
Me But marriage —you know what I mean --I mean it's alright and all that --maybe
later, when you want to settle down, have a couple of kids you know. But
when I do that, it probably won't be Roy --He's sweet and all —nice to run around
with --a divine dancer —but, well, you know what I mean, he's too acquisitive,
too possessive, jealous --I want freedom. Still, it gives a girl a certain pres-
tige --you know what I mean --if she can sport a diamond. Other fellows look at
her with respect. It gives one an outlook, so to speak. Other fellows sort of
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get interested --competition, you know----.
Say, Benny sent me a plant for Eas#er. Wasn't that sweet? A lit-
tle note an it: "Don't forget to water me, and I'll grow up to be crazy
about you like---your---Benny Goodstein."
Haw cute. Benny's a cute boy. I could go for him myself. But you
certainly got him on the le sh, Ruthie.
Last time I weighed, I found I lost two pounds. Ylknow, eating
sandwiches and coffee six times a day spoils your appetite for a real meal.
Say, Y'know these fortune-telling scales--? Well, I got a slip
saying, "Your love life will be a hectic one. You are psychologically an im-
petuous person --(or something like that --imagine--) You year your heart on
your sleeve, you are open to auto -suggestion --your legs work in reflex." flow
do you like that? My legs work in reflexl What does it mean, my legs work in
reflex?
Dotty's married. She should know. How about it Dot?
It means when you're running to catch a bus before the green light
goes on why, your legs work in reflex.
Oh, yeah? Well, suppose I ride the subway.
Grace, you're hopeless. You should take lessons from J. T.
Look, who's talking. So 4e's been stepping you too.
No, I just heard a thing or two. Did you know Bertha Dixon's expect-
ing a baby? It's begun to show, and the floorman advised her to take a leave
of three weeks. Know what she said? She says to him, 'Three weeks? Why three
weeks? I'd have to lay off for six months." She told him she's going to stay
on the job till the last minute. Imagine! I think its terrible the poor
kid will soon look like a stuffed goose, and everyone will notice her. They
say it's J.T.S.
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Oh well, Bertha won't care. I think she's proud of it.
Let's get up a naming contest. Whoever suggests the best name for
Bertha's brat, is exempt from union dues and assessments for three months.
Make it exempt for life, and I'm on.
Listen, I suggest we call it 'Postel Nell,' if it's a girl!
dears, I gotta scram. Want to make my looker before I go
back on the machine. So long.
So long, Sel--take care of the glassware!
Ruthie, that was a dirty dig --you devil! Listen, the new floorman
stopped at my machine today, and he says, 'flow you doing!" So I looks up at
hi* give him the bright eye, and I says, 'I could do better without you breath-
ing down my neck every five minutes --The humidity's bad enough', I says, 'with-
out that,' I says.
Oh, you didn't really!
So help me, I did. Well, anyway, words to that effect. If you know
what I mean.
He's fresh. I don't like his looks. He has sweaty hands. Miaow
haw he puts his paw casually on your shoulder. Gives me the shivers.
The other man we had was better. Old Freddy, Baldy Freddy You
could do anything with him --Powder your nose in the middle of taking a rush
wire --He wouldn't say a word.
I used to keep a crossword puzzle an my lap and fool with it between
times. While I'd be marking the time on the blank with one hand, I'd fill in a
word with the other. Gee, one day though, Freddie came up behind ma, and he
catches on, and he stoops down, whispers in my ear, 'A monkey in three letters
ending with e, is Ape!' He meant it for an insult, but I wasn't phased. I
laughed, at hime and wrote it in right in front of his nose. 'Manx,' I said,
'You're a big help. If I win the contest, I'll split with you.' So he laughed
too, and walked on.
Grace, listen to me you watch your step. You may think its funny
but I've seen girls get the sack for a lot less than that. lever trust a
super. They kid with you, and then turn in your number. Next payday, you get
a suspension, and then you don't know even who to blame. Clmon, let's get
going it's two minutes to. Let me have your lipstick, Ruthie.
So long, gals, See you on the floor.
So lohgi take care of yourself. So long.
THE FUTURE MR. A.C.A. WORKER THEY HOPE!
SALARY 1 GALLON GASOLINE PER WEEK HOURS 24 PER DAY
VACATION 2 DAYS A YEAR IN THE REPAIR SHOP NO ERRORS
BONUS CHROME PLATING A YEAR GUARANTEED NOT TO ARGUE
POSITIVELY NON UNION
TAKE ONE HOME TO THE KIDDIES