Mobile Phone: Liability Or Necessity?

It's a wonder how much we're relying on our mobile phones these days. Approximately a decade ago, it was something that I deemed as an icon for the rich and wealthy, no thanks to those Hong Kong films back then where the filthy rich were always portrayed with a big fat ass 大哥大. Fast forward a few years down the road, I think it's no longer an exaggeration to claim that all the people I know today own at least one mobile phone. In fact, when I went to Singapore for the first time last month, I was pretty shocked to see every single young commuters in the MRT had their eyes totally glued to their mobile phone display, either playing games, chatting or listening to songs. Physical communication was almost non-existent, save for the aged uncles and aunties of course.

Singapore is just around 2 hours away but with such a stark contrast between them and us here on how we utilize the mobile phone, I really can't fathom what to expect if I were to visit Japan - the land of the weird and bizarre - in the near future. Slurping ramen out from the mobile phone display, anyone?

I accidentally left my mobile phone charger in the office last Friday and my antique Nokia 6600's battery went flat on me a day later. Even though I do have a cordless phone at home - which I've been subconsciously trying to fit into my jeans pocket one time too many - it really struck me on how much I've been dependent on my mobile phone. Unlike the iPhone, the Nokia 6600 has very limited features and I only use it mainly for calls, SMS, recording daily expenses... and alarm.

Yes, I'm one of the cheapskates who refused to wear a watch or get myself an alarm clock. Nice to meet you.

-sigh-

It was not until Sunday evening when I realized that I had nothing to wake me up on Monday morning at 5.30am. Well, of course I could hit the bunk early but I would need a better insurance policy so I turned to waifu, who agreed right off the bat. For the record, we don't stay together under the same roof so she would be giving my cordless phone a call as a replacement alarm.

Somehow or rather, I managed to get myself out of the bed on time and after numerous failed attempts to register her mobile phone with a missed call - to indicate that I was up and about - I left for office, hoping that she would miss her own 5.30am alarm.

Around 30 minutes later and within 3 seconds of powering up my mobile phone, the ringtone rang out loud. Waifu's name danced on the display.

She actually rang my cordless phone a few times until my father picked it up and told her that I've left the house. Not satisfied, she rushed 13-storeys down her flat, jumped into the car and drove to my house, all these in the ungodly hour of 5.45am with her mobile phone by her ear, trying to reach me as soon as I've got my mobile phone booted up. It was just barely a few hundred meters away from my flat when she managed to get hold of me.

To think that a person who appreciates sleep above everything else would do all these just to ensure that I was on time for work... DAMN YOU STUPID PHONE! If only your battery could sustain itself for 2 more days. I'm utterly speechless. Penning this down right on the spot was the best course of action I can think of to log this down as one of the many memorable moments in my life. :)

I'm quite sure you've read this line before: every cloud has a silver lining. It is always this kind of sticky situation that reveals to you how important or how big of an influence you are in the eyes of the others. All you're required to do is just to move a step or two and take a look at the situation again, this time from a different perspective.

Dearest waifu, I promise to sing you Dido's Thank You for the rest of my life. <3