Oh the beauty and angst of a tiny little heap of metal called a cell phone- excitement dwelling up inside of you as it vibrates, chirps, sings, announces or PROCLAIMS someone is thinking about you! Yippee! Who could it be? What do they want? The questions begin to swarm around one’s mind as you think of all the possibilities- the job offer you’ve been anxiously anticipating, the significant other who’s been on a long trip, the family member calling to tell you Baby is on his way, the doctor relieved to deliver great news to worried individuals, the new crush you’ve been desperate to take out, your grandchild’s delightfully squeaky first words.
You finally get to talk to them- the soft sound of their voice on their other end, carefully sharing with you the news. You’re hanging on every word anticipating the next, desperate to hear the end of the sentence, the crux, the climax and then . . . silence.
Hello?
Heeelllllllooooooo?
HELLO?
Heeelllllllooooooo?
HELLO?
Where did you go? What happened?
There are no sweet sounds on the other end. The phone cuts out. How could it be!? You quickly try and press re-dial but get sent straight to voicemail. Another attempts serves no variance. Yet another attempt gets you a ring but no one picks up (why!? Because they’re trying to call you back!) And then you wait- ever so patiently, frustrated, excited, angry, and joyful ALL AT THE SAME TIME simply because one could not finish a conversation on a cell phone that someone sold you once upon a time by telling you you’ll have crystal clear service and be able to hear a pin drop at the other end of the line. . . if you actually stay on the line long enough for the pin to hit the ground!
All of this because of the invention of the cell phone.
Did you know people used to write letters to each other to communicate? Ya, go figure- real letters, words slowly, methodically, and gracefully strung together written by hand. Black ink across a paper sharing hopes and dreams, humor and laughter, journeys and destinations. People had to wait months to receive these letters, but once you had them you had the complete story from beginning to end, no interruptions, no false anticipation, no emotional MADNESS!
I feel like plucking leaves off a flower- My cell phone loves me, it loves me not. My cell phone loves me, it loves me not. My cell phone loves me, it loves me not. . .
