Friday, December 16, 2005

Made it home last night, weak and regressed to a preverbal state. Landlord was waiting around for me with a gift: a new cellphone (prepaid) with a couple little phonecards to go with it. Explained how to put the thing together (finally, a sim card!), set it up to charge and let me go. Went into my apartment, plugged my new appliance in to charge, sobbed a bit.

I'd had a cellphone for years until it became apparent that everyone thought I had to be accessible all the time with it. Got tired from the upbraiding I'd get if I turned the blasted thing off to get a moment's peace. Also, noted that I was seeing 'rate creep:' my initial $29.99/mo plan kept getting upped every few months by about $4-$5, so that by the time I decided to chuck the thing, my plan cost nearly nearly $50.00/mo.

Of course, it was a pain in the rear to have to find payphones when I needed to call someone. Dealt with it, though. Had considered getting a little prepaid phone, but never got around to actually comparison shopping or anything. Wasn't interested enough, I guess. It took my getting locked out of the house one Sunday afternoon to actually get Landlord on my case about getting cellphones and updating the keys left with neighbors. The key thing got done pretty quickly. Of course, the cellphone waited. And waited. And waited until last night.

I do have to admit - part of me is annoyed at the feeling of being tethered by this bit of technology again, but another part feels a bit warm because of the thoughtfulness of the gift.

13 comments:

Yogo said...

It was a very nice gift, but I don't like being plugged in 24/7 either. I feel that if "I'm not home" and a caller gets that message on the answering machine that doesn't mean it's time to track me down on the celly.

I'm no brain surgeon; it's possible that I might be unavailable. That annoys people.

Be said...

When the guy (who kept insisting how much he hated cellphones) said to me one day that "I was supposed to be accessible, as after all, I had a cellphone," that was kind of a turning point. That said, I'm very lucky when it comes to landlords. Mr. and Mrs. Landlord are very, very nice to me.

Meade said...

Just wait till you two have kids -- trust me, you'll want them to be able to reach you anytime at all.

Until then, you're right -- enjoy your freedom to be unavailable and don't give your cell # to anyone you might not want to hear from.

Be said...

Nappy's more the settle down and have kids type than I am, I'm sure.

If, god forbid, some mistake should happen to me, I'm certain I'd be like "sure, go play in traffic...just be careful about it, would you?"

Yogo said...

When they're teenagers maybe...

Be said...

Teenagers?! Mine are going to military school as young as possible! They're going to resent me anyway...they might as well be resentful and well-disciplined.

Yogo said...

lol

Be said...

(Really - have been told that I'd make an awful parent, as I'd be all strict and by-the-Bible-like. No female would leave the house until she was of college age. The males, well, they'd be out tending the land, raising barns and the like, so not getting into trouble or anything. No need for cellphones!)

Meade said...

Anyone fortunate enough to have either of you as a mother would, in time, learn to forgive. Unless of course the gene for humor is recessive. In which case you probably wouldn't want them to have your cell phone number even if you had one.

Be said...

Oh, Meade - if you only knew what my little bruvvie (31, martial arts instructor, chef, married to his 'body artist') and I put our mom through...

Meade said...

Fear of payback is normal and universal and, unless one dislikes children, makes nieces and nephews that much more adorable.

Be said...

I love kids, actually. (just like chicken!) - No. Seriously. If I were a fair bit younger and I had a stable partner, I'd be a major breeder. As it currently stands, well, I'm a bit too old, don't have the stablest of partners, and don't have the wherewithal to support a kid anyway. I am, however, in a decent enough position to not exactly spoil friends' and relatives' kids, but to have fun with them and maybe even salt a little away for their futures.

Crazy Aunt Beff is what one girlfriend's daughter calls me.

Nick said...

Yeah... there are benefits to being the fun Aunt or Uncle.