U, Me Aur Cellphone

Sitting in the bus I was looking around if I have any interesting companion as a co-traveller so that a filmy story's seeds may be laid. Lady Luck, who seems to be relishing playing the role of agony aunt on this front, decided the jinx should continue. So I rested back on the seat waiting for the "cleaner/driver/owner/whatever" he was guy to switch on a movie. In the meantime, the decibel levels took off from the launch pad all set to defy the law of physics that light travels faster than sound- it was the chattering of the fellow passengers. The competitiveness appeared as if they have appeard for a reality show- Clamour your way to glamour !!!

So my peace was deliberately trampled upon by these messengers of Satan who found it a defiance of morality to see someone at peace. I decided to scare them with a stare,but their appearence made me decide against it. The next plan of action was to join the bandwagon (ego boss even I wanted my shot to fame to win this nonexistent reality show). So the eyes wandered around to find if there was a soul willing to listen to my wisdom. But noone seemed interested. Vanity had worked hard to climb the stairs of a skyscraper and now it was thrown down from the terrace without slightest of compassion. Then I noticed where the root of the problem was- Vanity found a parachute, honour was resurrected, faith on humanity and its intelligence was restored. What kept the shout wasn't the clout of the fellow companions, they were all instead busy with themselves. The power lay in their hands- the duniya was literally in their mutthi- it was their cellphone.

Sehwag's mother succeeded in motivating him to win a match for the country using the cellphone, Rehman created a new age anthem for the mobiles. The world is not enough for the growing influence of cellphones. Coming back to the crime spot (where there was an attempt to kill my vanity), seeing almost everyone busy with their phones made me draw a mental blank page divided by an imaginary line to illustrate- Before and After. Let me show it to you-


(This is a hypothetical conversation. Any resemblance is purely coincidental)

Before

X:-Hello, My name is X. .
Y(wondering if X's parents didn't love him to keep such a name) .
- Hi there, I'm Y.. I'm an engineer/actor/lawyer/doctor/loser by profession.
What do you do?
X( making sure that he still has the upper hand):- I'm studying life!!!! .
Y thinks with such a name, was X really left with an option??
And the conversation takes off from there.


Now
X(on his phone) :- Hello, Haa this is X here. Can u listen to me?
Y(on her own phone):- Sweetheart I'm sick of listening to you all my life
X:- But I thought we had a deal
Y:- Either that bitch would live or me.
X:- This is extortion.
Y:- I call it emotion
( and the sound mixing continues much to the amusement and fun of onlookers, if there are any)

"Addiction is fatal, but so was monotony, right? So why not get addicted and die". The rod of power is in hands now (no pun intended). Cellphones have spread their empire from the Riches to the wretches. I wonder how this revolution has changed us so much that we just can't resist the temptation to keep our hands busy ( no pun again). Personal wishes have been replaced by texts, grammar has gone for a toss, people don't care to befriend co-passengers ( go back to the crime spot) and we've found a way to keep ourselves busy. This luxury of the past has become an amenity to stay connected. When I was a kid, parents were cautious even to hand me over a glass plate with the fear that I may break it, now parents don't mind handing over expensive cellphones. Change is sweet and delicious only if you are part of the effect cycle and not the necessity one.


I'm a victim myself of this addiction and I believe cellphones would stay- for geeks as a fascinating technology, for majority of people as a means to stay connected, for cynics as only commercial business and for those who don't know which bracket they belong to- for them cellphones would be a mode of amusing experiences.