ONE night, I was falling asleep to Perry Mason when he picked up his office phone. I woke to: “Operator, get me CRestview 7-6245.” Did that ever ring a bell!

My old number was SPruce 2-4449. For the in-crowd who lived in the Forest City, that meant 772-4449.
Didn’t we save scads of time not having to say “77” whenever we gave out our number! It got my generation where it deserves to be.

I pick up my cell phone and call my friend, screenwriter Brian Daly. Surely he’s one of the Children of the SPruce.