Two Shorts and a Long
By Bruce McIver
[Bruce McIver is Pastor Emeritus of the Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas and, in retirement is a fabulously successful author of best-selling books.]
As a boy back in North Carolina I grew up listening to the "Amos and Andy" radio program. It was fifteen minutes of laughter, static, and family "togetherness" as we all huddled around the old Philco radio, straining to catch every line of the show.
Andy had a secretary named "Miss Blue." When someone came by his office to visit he would often interrupt the conversation by hollering through the door, "MISS BLUE, WOULD YOU PLEASE BUZZ ME!" A second later a buzzer would sound and Andy would talk through his new intercom with Miss Blue about some trivial matter. Obviously, no intercom was needed; and, just as obviously; the whole charade was acted out to impress visitors to Andy`s office.
During those days when we listened to the daily program we weren`t worried about any telephone calls from 6:45 until 7:00 in the evenings. Amos and Andy had absolute priority up and down the party line. A crisis would just have to wait. By the way our telephone number in Siler City was 8-F, or two shorts and a long. That`s all; just 8-F. Downright humiliating by today`s standards. And our post office box number was 42. Just 42. Our street had no name or address. We lived "across the creek…one house past the Darks…and just before you get to the Fitts."
Today, I sit in my office at home, surrounded by a FAX machine (hoping somebody will FAX me!), a telephone to my left and another telephone with a "dedicated line" for the FAX machine, a pocket recorder, a cellular telephone for use in the car, an adding machine (never could balance my check book without one!), and a PC (personal computer) with a "hard drive." And, just recently I went "on line" so I could send and receive E-mail messages.
A long, long way from Amos and Andy. And 8-F.
My dear friend, Jimmy Allen, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention and now pastor in the mountains of Georgia, and I have communicated with one another a couple of times a week for at least twenty-five years–swapping stories, sermon ideas and illustrations, and just sharing mutual concerns. Telephone calls and faxes worked okay, but E-mail has nearly ruined a good relationship!
When I went "on line" recently I sent Jimmy a message. It didn`t go through. He tried to respond. But his message didn`t get through. We struggled with this process for about three days, running up enormous telephone bills trying to figure out how to save money on E-mail. Frankly, I was about ready to go back to "8-F"–two shorts and a long–or to smoke signals sent over the mountains.
On the fourth day he finally got the thing to work. My computer screen said, "Message waiting."
With nervous fingers I punched the right keys to retrieve my first E-mail message. This was the moment of birth of a whole new way of communication. Something "Edison" McIver could tell his grandchildren.
Jimmy`s message read, "I think we`ve figured this thing out. Now, say something!"
From Andy`s intercom…to two shorts and a long…to fax machines with "dedicated lines"…to PC`s…to cellular phones…to E-mail…to television programs…to public address systems…to microphones used in the worship service this Sunday.
…not much matters if we don`t have something to say.
In one of his last "words" to the disciples Jesus said, "You shall be my witnesses."
Easter is a good time to say, "I think we`ve figured this thing out. Now say something."
How about starting with…
"The Lord is risen;
The Lord is risen, indeed!"
