I called the operator when I was small. My first unaided call. After a long silence I told her, “there’s a robin in the back yard on a tree.” The words “Is that right, sugar” melted from her as if I was her favorite son. I wonder if she ever thinks of me. I wonder what happened to that robin. No I don’t. It’s dead and festered away to nothing. But what happened to that phone, and that desire.