The “Man in the Moon”

[Note: I originally wrote this for one of my other sites, ClassicRotaryPhones.com, but felt that the Fort Worth subject-matter made it ideal for inclusion here.]
I get ideas for posts from a number of different sources, but often as not they’re based on something that’s been on my mind, maybe a project I’ve been working on. The inspiration for this post however, came to me after reading an unusual article about the “beep-beep line” on Dennis Markham’s VintageRotaryPhones.com. Something I was previously unaware of, the post describes a quirk of the telephone network that used to permit something akin to the chat capability of a party line. Initiated by calling ones own number, kids would talk over the busy signal to others who were likewise engaged… harmless childhood hijinks at their finest. (for a full description, read: The Beep-Beep Line) This apparently was very popular with those “in the know”, and wish I had been one of the privileged few who enjoyed partaking in that bit of silliness.
I may have missed out on the beep-beep line, but the story reminded me of my own childhood in Fort Worth, and a strange, secretive activity that was popular in my Bruce Shulkey Elementary School days: calling making phone calls to “The Man in the Moon”.
The phone number was passed from one kid to another, year after year, with the sort of reverence that only a seven year old could understand. Attaining almost legendary status, conversations with the man were often shared as we walked to school. “What will I say to him?”, I remember asking as we passed the witches house. (we knew a witch lived there) “Ask him what the school is serving for lunch tomorrow”, and so I did, that very afternoon. A jovial, older-sounding gentleman answered, at which time I uttered slowly, “Are you the man in the moon?” Indeed it was! I asked about the next days lunch. “They’re gonna serve worm casserole, eyeball soup, and chocolate-covered flies for dessert!” I giggled and hung up, a response I’m sure he was used to. The “lunch menu” you see, was his shtick, and kids called to hear what sort of nasty concoctions he’d describe. I know that today the idea of kids calling some “mystery person” would be cause for great concern, but this was the early/mid 1960s, undoubtedly a more naive time.
So who was this guy, and why was the called the Man in the Moon? I’m sure I’ll never know. Back then I wondered if he was just some kids’ Uncle Jimmy, an older person that loved kids and enjoyed playing along. Today, my 21st Century mind considers more sinister explanations, but they don’t really hold water. The calls were always brief, with no effort made by the moon-man to prolong the conversation. In fact, there was a certain public service aspect to it, not unlike dialing the number for the time and temperature… matter-of-fact. He was always there, ready with his humorously gross menu. You know, I’m definitely leaning towards that “Uncle Jimmy” theory.

The illustration that accompanies this story is by Ike Morgan (1871-1913) and appeared in the 1905 edition of The Woggle-Bug Book by L. Frank Baum. (of Wizard of Oz fame) The entire book, including its illustrations, can be seen at Project Gutenberg.

“The man in the moon laughed at him; the stars winked at each other as if delighted at the Woggle-Bug’s plight, and a witch riding by on her broomstick yelled at him to keep on the right side of the road, and not run her down.”