Losing Cell Phone

Losing cell phone could be a very irritating experience. It gives an instantaneous heart attack and galvanizes one immediately in to high-speed marathon in doing so many things.

Last Friday I had such an experience. I lost my cell phone.

But this experience is different from the other experiences I experienced. I mean… I lost my cell phone at least 4 times in past and every time I got that back somehow. My cell phone seem to be fortunate enough to land in the lap of people who’s moral integrity still not diminished yet. They were kind enough to call me and did not even verify my authenticity before handing over the handset back. My face could have told them bluntly that I am resuscitated by few kind words from them and they further preferred not to push me in to extended agony.

This perpetual luck seem to have made me thick skinned in understanding and appreciating the intricacies involved in losing a cell phone. First it is an unnecessary burden that you need to shell out an uncomfortable chunk of money that’s literally gone down drain. Secondly you lose all your contacts unless you save them somewhere as a backup. Third you will lose some important and emotionally precious messages that make you smile again and again.

Thank heavens… I did not lose my personal cell. I lost my office cell that’s given to me hardly a month and half ago. It’s a cheap (But when I am going to buy that now it’s not cheap) Chinese handset with simple features. I loved the FM radio and multi day alarm. What impressed me most is the snooze dwell time. Its ten minutes and kick me not out of sleep in a bad mood unlike my personal cell. (My Nokia Engage screams murder exactly after two minutes if I wake up not). But I tolerated my Nokia the way a hubby tolerates a wife. It was there with me past five years serving faithfully. It underwent its own Pre Menstrual Syndrome as and when it pleases then reverted back to its own good mood. I have so many precious messages associated with lovely memories of my life.

Now losing cell phone is a phenomenon that’s accepted norm in society. A few years ago when you declare you lost your cell, you were subjected to unabridged sympathy, a series of cluck clicks and in some cases sneers followed with reprimands. As development progressed by the number of cell phone users increased as it became as common as one losing their wallet. Just today I happen to read impressive news that my beloved country India has reached a cell phone subscription of five hundred million users.

There was another sweet memory that brings a sweeter smile on my face. April 1st as celebrated all fools day… and people tried to fool me. I was successful in deflecting the efforts of almost everyone who tried this mischief with me. But not Mach. She used to call in panicked state and at the verge of sobs and tell me that she lost her cell. It really used to stop my heart. Not because of anything I explained earlier like money, messages or losing data base. Cell phone is the only bridge between me and my only love.

My immediate panic used to think of so many repercussions if I can’t talk to her. I used to think of her loneliness and my own if we could not talk. I used to think of how to handle the situation as soon as possible. I used to mentally calculate how much and how fast I could raise money to fill in this void to buy her a new cell. I also used to think how to convince her in reporting the loss to police to get necessary certifications so that she would get another SIM. Before I try to implement all these thoughts in to words and action she used to let her train of panicked words run past my own phase to catch up. And this made me even more panicked.

And most vitally I used to keep panic out of my voice… lest she further get intimidated by my disturbed state of mind. What I happen to notice not is she is just sad but not panicked. And I try discovering every method to make her feel at ease and try devising ways to transfer her money swiftly in a safe way that compromises not her safety. I used to blabber with words that are consolation and assurance.

When I sense that she is stabilized form her own panic… I suddenly happen to listen to a slight giggle that raced towards an explosive laughter. And she used to claim proudly that she fooled me.

For a moment I could say nothing. More than reacting to redeem my ego and self esteem I used to feel relieved to know that she did not lose her cell. It meant we still could talk to each other and I need not bother troubling my friends for an aid that I needed badly.

Now it is an irritating truth that I need to shell out almost a grand and half to replace my lost cell. Perhaps I learnt my lesson too. I travel in Mumbai local trains that are comparable to no other mode of public transportation in the world perhaps. If one is not vigilant enough the pickpockets here would steal everything including a person’s diaper.

I now make it’s a resolution (New Year resolution)… not out of custom but out of necessity that I will zip up my cells in my back pack when I board a train. All my friends and well-wishers henceforth are requested to note that if I am not picking their calls it meant I am travelling in train and my cell phones are inside my bag.

I will never again l0se a cell phone for any god damn reason…

Yikes… such a waste…

I am really irked and pissed off…

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… Sob, sob…. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…………..