The Life and Death of the Rolodex

Do you remember when the coolest thing on your office desk was a Rolodex?

The Grey Poupon of card files.

No social networks, no synchronized address books, and no Smartphone’s But people had social networks and people had to memorize and organize thousands of contacts. Or have a Rolodex.

Then of course next to your Rolodex was your Telephone.

Going back almost 30 years ago before I had a computer I did have Fax Machine, It was really cool to have a fax machine, at least I thought it was because I actually learned how to use it!

The only negative about it was when the locals in Arizona City, AZ found out I had one, everyone used to stop by and ask if I could fax something for them.

I remember everyday flipping through my Rolodex and making so many calls selling Truckloads of Liquidation Merchandise that by days-end, when I slept at night, I could not sleep on my left ear because it was always red raw sore from being on the phone for hours. My voice at the end of each day was also worn out and had a raspy sound.

I used to be obsessed about putting everyone I knew and their address in my Rolodex, My office was at a major intersection and locals knew Mark had everyone’s phone number, when they would stop and asked me for someone’s number, with a high-tone voice, almost Cocky Like, I would say” Well of course I have their number, it’s in my Rolodex!”

Whenever I had to travel, first thing that went in my brief case was my Rolodex, Heaven Forbid, you forgot it or even worst, you lost your Rolodex, Wow, Shouldn’t even mention that, your life would be over!

The Rolodex was the brainchild of Arnold Neustadter, a twentieth century inventor from Brooklyn and he started selling the Rolodex in the 1950s, 1980s, however, the Rolodex had become such an icon that lawsuits were filed by companies who accused former employees of taking them with them when they left—having a Rolodex filled with important names meant everything.

Mr. Neustadter, who died in 1996, never saw the way in which digital storage would affect his iconic invention. 

At one point I had 2 Rolodex's plum full, My Rolodex never failed me, never caught a Virus, and never had to replace the hard-drive, even though I haven’t added any new names to it for the past 15 years, I still like to flip through it, several old customers have died but I still keep their file, Great Memories doing business with all of them.

After all of these years now working out of my home office on the most beautiful secluded beach in Ban Saphan Noi, Thailand, Yep, I still have my Trusty Old Rolodex!