I am persuaded that if Alexander Graham Bell had wanted us to have Caller Identification, he would have invented it himself.

Of course, I cannot be positive about this, but by putting two and two together, so to speak, I am reasonably comfortable with the guess that Watson and Bell had discussed the concept before that historic occasion on which Bell placed the first telephone call. Why do I say this? Look at the call—probably the most important in the history of humankind up to that moment. Did Alexander call his mother? Did he call the President of the United States? Did he call Larry King? No, he called Watson! Watson was just down the hall! Why didn't he stick his head out, if he couldn't see him, and yell? And what did he say? Did he tell Watson they might be on to something … or to go out and buy some stock? No, the message was: "Mr. Watson, come here I need you." What for? Why did he need him to come there ...didn't he already have him on the phone? Why not tell him what was on his mind and hang up?

My research did not unearth any clear answers, but I have my own ideas. First let's say for the moment that I'm right and they had talked already about Caller Identification and Watson was pushing it, but Bell was against it. It is my guess that when the phone rang, Watson was sulking over the latest rejection of his idea and Bell was getting mad because Watson was taking his sweet time in answering.Working from this hypothesis, it is fairly easy to surmise how the conversation went, after Watson hung up and went into the boss's office:

You're working for me and you don't even answer the phone?

I answered.

Yeah, you answered after it had almost rung off the hook! What was the problem?

I'm here, that means I answered.

I almost hung up! Why didn't you answer on the first ring?

How was I supposed to know who was ringing?

Couldn't you have picked up the receiver right away and at least said "Hello," so I would know that we had invented the telephone?

How could I be sure who was calling?

If you answered the phone and said "Hello," I would have told you who was calling.

"Hello" is a question? You never told me that.

No, it's not a question, it's more like an invitation to tell whoever it is that it would be nice to know who's calling.

Could I answer and say, "Who's calling"?

You could.

O.K., Graham, I'll go back to my office and let's try it with the "Hello," but I still say Caller Identification could be a real moneymaker.

I knew that's what's been bugging you! Well get this straight; I don't want any more argument about any tomfool scheme. If we keep this thing simple, the public might go for it. Drop the caller identification idea. We're not in the name-tag business!