Zero Seven Seven

When I stepped into the world of work, my address book gave room to write only a contact’s personal address and telephone number. Many of my contacts were my class mates, cousins, relatives and others whom I met at a private class. After I settled well in the working world, I had to get myself an bigger address book with more pages. By this time I had made a few contacts at work, colleagues mostly. As the years went by it was the ‘ in ’ to store all your contacts in an electronic organizer. I remember walking into Robert Agencies down Reclamation Street to browse through the many different models of electronic organizers. I browsed around and quietly glanced at the price tag ranging from Rs.8,000, Rs, 12,000, and ending up with Rs. 20,000. The shock was too much, but I managed to absorb it and retain the elegance that I carried with myself when I walked in. I politely lied to the salesman saying I will make another visit. I haven’t been to Robert Agencies since then. Time went by, IT skills were being the most desired skills in a workplace, I didn’t specifically go for special training to learn the ropes. I kept moving, trying my luck in the world of work in many different workplaces, At a start up company, I was a good looking Compaq desktop on my desk. I didn’t mind the fact that it occupied half my desk, I was determined to learn the hidden trick in making the pc work for me. I succeeded. Meanwhile outside there was something else that was taking everybody by storm. The telephone had shrunk and it was possible to carry it wherever you went. Many of the corporate tie swaying executives began to carry the shrunk telephone and with it landed a more blown up ego, changes in behaviour. The first one that arrived in Sri Lanka, the weight and dimensions of a brick came in at a price of Rs.100,000 by the only mobile service provider Celltel. The women in the higher echelons of society had to have one during their visits to the supermarket, salon, spa while their husbands did business, reserved golf timings. Clearly the mobile phone was only meant to be with a certain segment. With me, I guess the price held me back and did not want to repeat the episode at Robert Agencies. Gradually more players came on the field, By this time I had moved up to the central rungs of the ladder. Many of my colleagues were getting a phone for themselves. My mind was wavering on the notion that do I really need this ? I postponed further on the lines that who will I talk to ? I can use the phone at work or the regular call box on the street or simply pop into a communication centre. By this time, different models of phones began to flood the market. Along the same time Typhoon SMS & KIT pre-paid cards hit the communication circles in Sri Lanka. Fascinating I thought (now when I recall I am embarrassed) Yes…the urge arrived and increased in volumes. I had to have one as well. Sheepishly I pushed a leave application towards my Manager who gave me a where-are-you-off-to ? look but approved it without any hassle. I walked over to the fancy arcade down Duplication Road and spent some time browsing at the neat little gadgets. I settled for a Ericsson AT 100 phone doled out 7 thousand and 1 five hundred Rupee notes. Filled out some paper work and listened to the salesman giving me initial briefing on charging the battery. I watched him deftly slip in the chip into the phone and hand me the entire package. I walked out of the store, head high feeling elated at the thought of actually owning a mobile phone. Yes the Ericsson did provide me a good service. I was able to chat on the way to work, back from work, and also switch to SMS when it was advisable to not move your lips on some things. By this time the image of a mobile phone spelling luxury was slowly fading off. More featured phones hit the shelves with camera phones really stealing the show, then came video, music, radio, virtually driving everybody nuts. With each feature arriving as customary it was the ‘in’ thing to have that phone. Realistically it was not achievable with everybody because the zero’s at the end of the price increased with each new feature. As for me, when my Ericsson died, I settled for a Nokia 2300 with a radio as an added feature and accompanied me virtually everywhere until it peacefully departed and I settled for another member of the same family, who is still with me, giving me a little more extra features like radio, video, voice recorder and even lets me check my mail on the go and reply. I get quite a lot done from the 6070 and can be contented you think ? Not really (no I am not complaining) but with all the innovation that’s creeping into these phones, and being bombarded with a ideas on this and that at unusual moments, my eyes are set on memory capacity, music player in addition to what I already have. My hunt continues for the ideal phone, the truth is if I fancy a particular model, the zeros at the end of the price give me the creeps. Then I have to repeat the Robert Agencies Episode at the store. A part of me is telling me that during a time of recession dishing out so much on a phone is a waste and another part of me is trying to enlighten me on buy back offers. I leave home for work, the fisherman is heading towards our home with my mom waving me to stop, he nods, he cannot answer because he is talking on his phone. When I get into the office transport virtually everybody is hooked to their phone in some way, either glued to the radio, texting, talking. At work different ring tones make me realize that my colleagues are receiving calls. Out on the road, the trishaw driver is picking up hires, salesman are busy negotiating over the phone, a teenager in a bus stop is grinning and texting while some are staring at a mms and giggling. I noticed the subtle change even in the villages where the mudalalis seem to negotiate with wholesellers and even some farmers checking for market prices for their harvests in other villages. I am happy that a simple gadget has made life a little easier for everybody. Now who said that its American Express we shouldn’t leave home without ? p.s. My address book is history because all of them are sitting comfortably in my 6070