... advantages of the telephone over sending a letter were so obvious, it was felt, that nothing could stop this process Both these predictions proved to be wrong in their own ways, of course, but ... something, even if it is a welcome interruption, so almost all calls begin rather apologetically Letters from friends, on the other hand, are almost always welcome and can't interrupt anything ... carefully and say what you really want to say without having to "think on your feet" and running the risk of saying the wrong thing In addition to the phone and the postal service now, of course,...