Journey mercies

I still remember the first time I got my first mobile phone when I was in college. It was one of those big ass Motorola phones that used to belong to my dad who passed it on to me. It was working perfectly fine with the exception of the constant blank screen which disabled the caller ID and SMS functions (which I later got working by my creative mechanical skills - knocking the phone silly until it decided to behave).

At that time, mobile phones were still considered a luxury rather than a necessity. So when I finally owned one, you can imagine how excited and over-inflated with self-importance I was.

Since my phone had a constant blank screen, I couldn't even change my settings to make it silent or on vibrate mode. But I figured since I just got my phone and not many people had my number, it didn't matter since it won't ring.

Now remember this important fact that I have to repeat; "...over-inflated with self-importance I was."

During class while the lecturer was droning on, my phone rang (and loudly) and it startled everyone while it made me jump and made a quick dash out of the class with my phone while whispering in an urgent yet sharp, "Hello?! Hello?!"

By the time I got out of the classroom I was puzzled by the lack of response on the phone and walked back in to find my dear beloved friends laughing their heads off. One of those idiots decided to play the 'missed call' game and was pleasantly surprised by my wild reaction. That certainly took me a peg or two down. Maybe four.

Anyway, fast forward to today.

I'm less enamoured by technology than I ever have been. And very much less impressed with mobile phones than I've ever been. If I could, I would gladly chuck my mobile phone over a bridge and be done with it.

90% of the time when my mobile rings, I have to grit my teeth and take a breath before I see who is calling me. 90% of the time it's a work-related call. 90% of the work-related calls it's somebody asking me for something or chasing me for something. Can you blame me for associating my mobile phone as something negative?

It's a disruptive tool to thoughts and schedules. If I could only have a mobile phone for the sole purpose of emergencies alone.

This weekend has been blessedly been long. And it's been kept on silent throughout the entire weekend. What bliss. Only with the exception of one work-related sms that came through on Sunday morning, I've otherwise been able to be free of it.

If only it could be this way during weekdays. Sigh.