Feb. 17, 2020

Cell Phone 2

Cell Phone 2:

In my last post, I looked at the many uses of the cell phone and the role it plays in our daily lives. What other role does the cell phone play? Before we get into that, let me explain my real reason for owning a cell phone.

I was shamed into getting a cell phone:

I decided to get a cell phone, not as a fashion statement or because I could afford one. Simple! It was the convenience of having one. Hold it! That’s not entirely true. I once thought I could do without a cell phone but I was shamed into getting one. How? Let me explain. I went for an appointment to see my computer technician at his shop. Lo and behold, I forgot his address. Luckily, I had his phone number. But what good is a phone number without a phone? I ran down the street where I spotted a public phone booth but it was out of service! I ran back up the street to look for another public phone booth but there was none to be found.  No surprise. With the emergence of cell phones, public telephones have become a thing of the past. “Holy shit! What do I do?”  I lamented. “I can’t miss my appointment!”  I finally ran across the street to a nearby restaurant, “Please, please, may I borrow your phone?” The restaurateur was kind to oblige. It was at that moment, feeling defeated and overwhelmed with the shame of my opposition to the cell phone that I’ve finally decided to arm myself with one of these little chatterboxes!  

 A great social distraction:

The cell phone brings people closer together on a social level but it also does something else which I find most appealing.  It also serves as a social distraction!  Take for example; if I’m out in public and I don’t want to talk to anybody, I just take out my cell phone. It's very unlikely anyone will approach you and start a conversation. They will get the message that you are not interested in talking! This might seem somewhat unsociable but hey, you just don’t feel like talking!

A public nuisance:

Some may consider the cell phone as a public nuisance. But are they? My reason for not liking the cell phone initially was based on this theory. However, over time I have come to accept the fact that cell phones are not the problem. People who owned them are. Just like a gun. Guns don’t kill people. People kill people!

Have you ever been on a bus, the subways or out in any public places and the person next to you just kept talking on their phone for the whole world to hear? Don’t you just feel like slapping the shit out of them to keep it down? “I do not care to hear your conversation! Shut the hell up!” These people just bug the living daylight out of me! People like these are just lacking class and social grace! Then there is that idiot sitting at the back of the bus with is music going at a high pitch! Listen, buddy, that may be music to you, but to the rest of us, it’s just noise! Turn it down!

Are you speaking to me?:

Have cell phones turned us into a generation of fools? We’re now talking to ourselves like something is wrong upstairs.

No longer is it considered taboo to see or hear someone talking to themselves. Chances are, they are wireless. I was waiting for a taxi once to take me home.  A lady was sitting across from me. “Hello!  How are you?” “I’m fine, thank you!” I replied. “How was the wedding?” "Wedding? What wedding?" It was then that I realize she wasn’t addressing me. She was talking on her Bluetooth wireless phone. I couldn’t have been more embarrassed! It is such that whenever I heard a salutation, I looked around to see if I’m the recipient. Yes! I have encountered several of those wireless conversations since that day. But like the saying goes: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

We have Smart Phones but dumb owners:

Can you imagine losing your cell phone, lost or stolen? This comes as no surprise. It happens every day. In some cases, however, it's neither of the above. It wasn't lost nor was it stolen! Some owners are just very careless. They abandoned their cell phones anywhere. This begs the term, "we have smartphones but dumb owners." On two occasions, I found myself the unwilling recipient of such stupidities. I was on the bus and this lady got off leaving her cell phone still sitting on the seat. Noticing this, with a quick reaction I picked it up and threw it out the window to her while the bus was in motion. It may have gotten broken but at least she got her phone back. Another time, I was at the gym. This fellow came in, set his cell phone down in an empty locker next to the one with his belongings. He got undressed then went straight to the shower leaving his phone still sitting in the empty locker. Can anyone be any dumber? When he got back from his shower...you guessed it, his phone grew wings and flew away. Of course, you know what I mean. Some lucky people had swiped it. “Serve you right,” I thought. That wasn't very nice of me but stupid people don’t deserve my sympathy.

Respect other people’s personal space:

The cell phone has its many uses some of which have yet to be discovered.  But while we are still waiting for the next generation of cell phones to make their debut, let’s be smart! Protect your phone but most importantly, be respectful of others and their personal space when using your cell phones. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable because of your selfishness and your lack of consideration! Remember, a cell phone is a privilege! It is not a right!