Cell Phones

I've been going the back way since my happy little incident with the nails. I think you get used to seeing certain things when you take the same way to work every day. The old way I never saw that many young people--some by the bus stop, maybe, if I got there before the bus arrived. Maybe a couple of young ones walking ahead of their mother or father as they were being escorted to the schoolyard... But this new way of going to work has brought about fruit for a post.

I've been struck by how many young people I've seen walking to school or headed to the bus stop. All of them, with the exception of one girl the other day, has been talking on a cell phone while they're walking. It's not just teenagers, either. A couple of them have looked to be junior high or less. Now, I work with parents whose children have cell phones. They've gotten their kids phones, or allowed the older ones to get them with their own money, because of the safety factor. I know it brings peace of mind to be able to get hold of your child or know that they can call you in case of an emergency. I sure hope the parents have them on unlimited plans for as much as I'm seeing kids on phones.

I know these are perilous times we're living in--I don't have to be convinced. Desi and I lived in simpler times but the peril was in our house and not so much outside of it. I can remember when getting a transistor radio as a gift was the highlight of my year! I'm not knocking kids being on cell phones, or the parents that get them, or even the cell phones--I'm merely making an observation of our times and how much they've changed in my lifetime.

This was brought home a few years ago when I used to drive up and make visits with Desi whenever I could. I live eight hours from her and had planned on making the trips myself. Now, I've been driving and traveling by myself for a long time, but all of a sudden people didn't want me making the trip by myself. My daughter finally came up with the solution. "Get a cell phone, Mom, to take on the trip and I won't have a problem with you making the trip." Bless her...hubby agreed. So, before anyone changed their mind, I went out and got my first cell phone--and did the salesman see me coming!!

I've learned a lot since that first sojourn into the cellular world. I had that phone for a little over two years. I changed jobs after the contract expired and made the decision to get rid of the phone. It was $50 a month that we could use since I'd taken such a big paycut to change jobs. So, now I have an old cell phone with all the accessories that has been sitting in a drawer for quite a while. It may get used again someday...or not...

About a year ago, I went ahead and got another cell phone. This time I was smarter and the phone came as part of the package. I didn't get a phone, or a plan, with all the bells and whistles, only the basics and unlimited in some areas. I had the phone with me all the time until a little over a month ago.

One morning on the way home from work, Hubby got a flat tire on the freeway right after he came up the on ramp. He had to hike back down the ramp and find a pay phone. When he got hold of me to tell me what had happened, he told me he had almost passed out on the trek. His health isn't the best, he's diabetic. That's the day the phone started traveling with him when he went to work. He's out and about on Mondays and has it with him then, too. This is a man that has been known to lose his wallet and keys in his own house so the compromise is that he leaves the phone in the console of the car. It's there if he needs to use it and I don't have to worry about it getting lost. The theory is that I have it during the day--that is, if I remember to take it out of the console in the morning... Now, that we've gotten a cord for the car, we don't even have to worry about it not being charged.

Cell phones are handy in emergencies, but there's only a couple of people that I talk to on it at any other time. Stink's one and Desi's another. I could talk to Mouse on it, but he's always so busy and I never know when to call him. I love the advantage of unlimited mobile-to-mobile. Stink, her husband, and I all have the same carrier so that's a nice bonus. I can call Desi and yak for as long as I want on the weekend. I really don't have to worry about the minutes during the week, either, cause I never use my minutes up. Desi has no need for a cell so I call her and save her a nickel.

I went and looked at some statistics for cell phone usage and it just keeps climbing every year. You'd think Ma Bell would be worried. I know we're considering doing away with our landline. We used to have to have it for dialup but we're on cable now and we very seldom use it. Now IT'S the $50 a month that we could use. We'd almost have to get the family plan so we'd each have a phone available at all times, but it would still be cheaper in the long run. Strange how things work.

I wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would think if he were still alive? In his wildest dreams do you think he could have imagined this mushrooming of his invention? I doubt it. Now, Jules Verne maybe...

I think at least one of the cell companies employees must be one of Verne's descendants. Only he could come up with the cell phones entering evey aspect of our lives...phone, TV, movies, pictures, games, and live video. I'm waiting for the cell phones to come equipped with a mini microwave oven so all you'll need in your apartment is a bed. Give them time, however, and they'll come out with an accessory for the phone to cover that, too...