Can a Teenager Dial a Phone?

Note: The following conversation is slightly fictionalized. But only slightly.


Teenager: I can't get ahold of Leopold. I texted him and he didn't answer.

Me: Why don't you call him?

Teenager: What??

Me: CALL HIM.

Teenager: (confused) I don't make phone calls.

Me: What do you think phones are for?

Teenager: Texting. Music. Apps.

Me: You don't know how to make a phone call?

Teenager: Oh, yeah, I do. You just hit their name on speed-dial.

Me: Do you know how to make a phone call that isn't on speed dial?

Teenager: Yes, I can enter a phone number. But I don't know about those old phones with the rotary wheels where you had to actually dial the number.

Me: They didn't have screens on them that showed what you dialed so you could see if you got it right.

Teenager: I know. That would be terrifying.

Me: So you don't know how to make phone calls, and you don't know how to address envelopes.

Teenager: Oh, I can address an envelope. All you have to do is Google the instructions.

PS: Teenager was laughing as much as I was. Teenager is not stupid. But I am wondering what my future grandkids will think the word "phone" means. Will they ever stop to wonder how the device in their pocket is related to the ancient talking box known as the "telephone"?