Back to the Party Lines

I'm sitting here on the computer alongside my two oldest kids who are playing Xbox with a bunch of their friends. There's a lot of laughter and excitement. It's your typical rowdy kid get together. Except that none of their friends are here in the house with us.

Instead, my daughter's cell phone is pinched between her head and shoulder as she talks on a three way call. Similarly, my son has his headset on to talk to his friends and relatives that are connected through Xbox Live. He shouts commentary about the game to the people playing the game with him.

Both of my kids are frantically using their thumbs and index fingers to control their Halo-Marine-guy's hands around a bomb they must carry to their opponent's side. (I'm a bit confused. This isn't really like Capture the Flag, is it?)

From my son's headset, I can hear the squawks of the other players responding to his conversation.

Squawk, squawk.

"I just met him, but don't worry, he doesn't cuss."

Squawk, squawk, squawk.

"You were playing against a Mythic and you won? I lost against a Recruit."

Squawk, squawk, squawk.

"Ha ha ha, Leroy Jenkins!"

Sometimes my son will laugh then complain that he can't understand what anyone is saying because they are all talking at the same time. From what I can surmise, he may be connected to 5 different people, but those 5 people may not all be connected to each other if they haven't friended each other on Xbox.

His confusion on the headset reminds of the old telephone party lines. Multiple people could be on the line listening to someone else's phone call. Unlike the busy bodies of old who hid their presence on the line, these boys all make their presence known. Loudly.

This busy-body would probably hang up on the current
Xbox party line for lack of juicy gossip.