Telephone Humbles a Rocket Scientist

Re “The Bright Stuff” by Greg Beckmann (Dec. 6): For a brief time after graduating from college, I worked as a secretary for Hughes Aircraft Co.

There was a scientist in our department with a Ph.D in physics who was studying missile guidance systems. He kept complaining of problems with his telephone.

Finally, one afternoon I went into his office to investigate the malfunction. He demonstrated to me how, when he was talking to his wife and another call came in, he would be disconnected.

You can imagine my shock upon discovering this rocket scientist did not comprehend the concept of the hold button.

In the most simple terms possible, I tried to explain it to him. He never got it. To this day, I’m sure he’s still disconnecting his wife.

IRENE NACHREINERRedondo Beach