Charles Bukowski - The Telephone lyrics

Will bring you people with it's ring
People who do not know what to do with
Their time and they will ache to
Infect you with this
From a distance (although they would prefer
To actually be in the same room
To better project their nullity upon you)
The telephone is needed for
Emergency purposes only

These people are not emergencies, they are
Calaminties

I have never welcomed the ring of a
Telephone

"hello" I will anser guardedly

"this is Dwight"

Already you can feel their imbecile
Yearning to invade
They are the people-fleas that crawl the
Psyche

"yes, what is it?"

"well, I'm in town tonight and i thought"
"listen, Dwight, I'm tied up, I can't"

"well, maybe another time?"

"maybe not"

Each person is only given so many evenings
And each wasted evening is
A gross violation against the
Natural course of your only
Life besides, it leaves an aftertaste
Which often lasts two or three days
Depending upon the visitor

The telephone is only for emergency purposes

It has taken me decades
But I have finally found out how to say
"no" now
Don't be concerned for them, Please:
They will simply dial another number

It could be yours

"hello" you will say

And they will say, "this is Dwight"

And then you
Be the kind
Understanding soul