Ding! A piercing sound, commanding immediate attention across a wide span of people: tweens, teens, adults, and oldsters, who obsessively reach for their cell phone to read a text message with varying degrees of intensity and care. No matter where they are, dining in a restaurant, riding in a car, shopping in the mall, or walking down the street. Ding! a launch of instant communication between one or more people, who expect an immediate reply. Often, texters embody the same room, where they can gossip about someone present, within earshot but outside text connection, among the selected clic. And if one does not open the text immediately, the Ding! keeps dinging — Ding! after Ding! until you do. To some, the repeated Ding! is followed by a “damn.”

Ding! A pleasing sound, familiar to my children’s generation. The Ding! usually preceded a musical jingle signaled the arrival of the Mister Softee Ice Cream truck on the street. Children would rush to their parents for a small stipend to purchase a frozen novelty treat as a reward or promise for their good behavior. Often, a parental “damn” followed that Ding! to express displeasure with the alluring pickpocket fleecing the neighborhood. As they grew older, however a Ding! referenced a rejection letter from a failed college application. That Ding! was usually followed by a disappointed “damn,” as well.

Ding! An unmistaken sound In my generation brought about by a careless driver, who opened a door forcefully against your car, resulting in a small dent. Understandably, that Ding! frequently was followed by a “damn,” with strong words not far behind. In addition, a Ding! represent a home run over the fence, which depending on the team, also could be followed by a “damn.”

Ding! A reflective sound in my parents’ generation. Usually, the Ding! was followed by a lower pitched Dong!, as the church bells in the neighborhood rang for the Angelus, a traditional reminder to recite a series of short prayers practiced by churches, convents and monasteries, during the Depression and Word War II. It occurred three times daily at 6:00am (Prime), noon, and 6:00pm (Compline). The Angelus bell comprised three long strokes, Ding! Dong! Ding!, repeated three times, with a pause between each. In addition, a street peddler, who sharpened axes, knives, lawn mower blades, had two bells on his cart, which sounded short Ding! Dong! Ding!, pause, not unlike the Angelus bells. These Dings provided a pleasant back drop for a simpler time when no Ding! was followed by a “damn.”

Ding! My cell phone beckons.