1945 in Spring Arbor, Michigan, my father picked up the phone, and the line was busy. He said a few words, the line was free, and he made his call.
Mother asked how he got them to quit talking.
“Oh, I talked turkey to them.”
That afternoon I picked up the phone. Two people were discussing laundry. I spoke quietly into the receiver, “Turkey. Turkey.”
Sure enough. The line was free.
