Back before smartphones existed and mobiles were simple devices with a couple or so buttons and a keypad

.... in the car ... after dark, so no light to make things that light up difficult to distinguish, or light colours all but indistinguishable from their silver background

... my phone (in the open compartment below the dashboard, between the seats) rang.

As I was driving, I asked my girlfriend to answer it for me.

She asked how.

(What?)

Somewhat nonplussed by the question from someone who had long had her own phone and should, therefore, know how to operate one (you'd think) ... I replied with "Press the green button."

What did she do?

She asked "Which one's that?"

(Eh!? It was the GREEN one ... like on EVERY phone at the time)

As I was busy driving at the time ... in the dark ,,, trying not to hit other vehicles or various parts of London's road-centre architecture in busy traffic late at night

... I didn't have the spare operating resources to explain the exact location of the (big green, lit up like a glowstick in the dark) button and, furthermore, couldn't get my head around how someone who wasn't colourblind could be asking that question.

So, I just repeated that it was the green one.

Nothing doing though ... she just repeated her question.

Seriously ... WHAT!? ... It's the fucking GREEN one!

Do they do it on purpose, do you think?