The computer age is about to get the best of me, and the voice mail on the telephone has been very frustrating for quite some time. For awhile I would pretend that I was calling from a rotary telephone and not push any buttons to answer the questions the voice asked. After being silent through several messages, I might get a person to answer, and I would get the problem taken care of. Now the voice mail is going through its messages, and then there is a dial tone, and you never get to talk to a person.

Recently, I received a card from a company that had offered a cash rebate on a purchase I had made. The care stated that I had not included the serial number of the item in question. A line written on the card stated to call a given telephone number, and relay the information needed. I called the number, and fi nally, after the eighth time, I pushed buttons to answer the questions asked, the last voice message said to go to a certain computer site, and then the line went dead. Now I have not learned to do computer research very well, also, there are many older people who do not even have computers much less the skills to do research if they do have one. What to do?

The computer age is wonderful, and I do appreciate it, especially the e-mail; however, I still would like to appreciate what the telephone could do without having to write a letter.

My thought for the day: You can never do a kindness too soon for you never know how soon it will be too late.