Once more, AT&T's p*ss poor service has got me riled up. Day before yesterday I picked up the phone to make a call, and there was a loud background humming sound on the line, and very faintly I could hear a man's voice talking. It causes me to Gnarl and Gnash!! My phone bill averages $90 a month--I ain't paying for no party line, but that's what I get.

How many times over the years have I had to call Bell South, then AT&T when they took over, about this party line symptom and noises on the line. So the automated voice (gnarl, gnash) comes on and says they will run a check on the line right then and there if I will stay off the line for 15 minutes.

H*ll-- I mean heck no, I called back and got throught the automated drivel to say I want to speak to an agent. This guy comes on and I explain the problem--the longstanding and recurring problem. He says we will check it out and fix it. I say I know the switch box relay (or whatever it is)in the ditch down from my house gets water in it when it rains and causes the wires to contact each other, ergo the party line syndrome. Even I know what the problem--why can't they fix it? Oh, it may cost them a little, that's why.

I haven't much faith in AT&T. When a company gets that big, they could care less about a old woman on a country road in Mississippi. Grrrrrrrrr.

susil