Wednesday, May 17, 2006

"Cell" shocked!

I have had quite a few surprises and shocks since I came back home... For example, I heard that petrol prices shot up to some Rs.48 or something (well... somewhere near 50! It was 37 when I left! :O). I was surprised to see new roads laid all over the city and by lots of other things. But one of my biggest shocks came on the day that I got another "expected shock". Does that make sense? Let me try and explain.

It was Monday. I had waited for this day for so many years... it was finally here... The day for me to go and get my learner's license. I had finished a couple of driving classes already. Yeah... that was another big event for me... I drove a car on the main road on third gear for 15 minutes! (yay me!) Getting my learner's license was an "expected shock". Expected because... well... I have been waiting for it for so long! It had to come some time! And shock because I still cannot believe that the moment was finally here! I have waited for sooo looong! And that day, as I walked out of the Regional Transportation Office, I just found it so hard to believe that I actually wrote a test and was getting my learner's license! Finally!

My dad and I had left early that morning. We decided to take an Autorickshaw to the R.T.O. Driving the scooter that far in the sun would be hell. We went there, went through all formalities, I wrote my test and it was time to head back home. We caught another auto.


Things were going on pretty smooth. Traffic was also not that bad. Then all of a sudden, my dad and I hear this weird music... a ringtone... I hurriedly checked if someone was trying to call me. Nope. Nobody calling me. Then where was this coming from???

The autorickshaw driver slowed down, pulled over and took a cell phone out of his pocket and walked away.

my jaw dropped

:O

Don't get me wrong here. If you can afford a cell phone instrument and connection, then there is no reason why you shouldn't have one. One of the basic needs of human beings is to stay in touch with loved ones and the rest of the world. But since the wonderful concept of carrying a cell phone was introduced to me very recently, just watching that guy happily park the autorickshaw and waltz out with the phone made me... well....

:O :O :O

8 comments:

Anusha said...

Ah, the same thing happened to me, but quite long ago. It used to shock me, but I've just gotten used to seeing practically everyone carrying a cell phone these days. I'm now immune to it. :|

We're all gonna die of technology overdose one day. Just wait and watch! :P

HOTWINTER said...

Believe it or not, in my city I find people like this carrying a cell phone:-

1)the paan wallah while making paan, stopped his work and took out hi motorola and started chatting with his girlfriend when his customers are waiting.

2)a handpulled rickshaw wallah sitting on his rickshaw and talking to his family at bihar.

3)a sweeper sweeping the street at 6 in the morning suddently his cell ph rings and he chats with his colleague sweeper who is sweeping the nearby street.

4) last but not the least the kaam wali bai suddenly takes out her nokia mobile phone and shows it to her madam (where she works) and asks her to note down her number and call her when she gives her madam a missed call to make them sure that she wont be turning up for the household work that day.

imagine where the world has reached..........

soleil said...

I don't know about in India but handphones can be really cheap in Singapore. There are zero-dollar phones if you sign up for a 2-year plan. But paying the phone bill is another matter altogether :p

I think it'll be a long time before I get to be driven somewhere by you. So who's your first passenger?

S said...

hahaha. good post. yea but like clueless said, this happened to me ages ago too. Its become so frequent that i have stopped becoming surprsied.. one on hand it is nice to see technology reaching all strata of the society, but on the other hand it does set u back for a second, when the auto waalah or the milk man, has a mobile which is waaaaaayy more technologically superior that yours and he uses it better than you!!! [:)]

Priyanka said...

yeah well as clueless and outlaw say this happened to me also... well.. me frnd and i were sitting in a BTS bus and we were talking... the conductor came to give us the tickets... and a phone started ringing... we both reached into our bags to see if ours were ringing... but no... the conductor smiles at us and she just walks away giving us a look that says, "HA!!!"... ah well... thats cool... just that cost of living will increase... *sigh*

The Girl Who Sold The World said...

Hahahaha, I know how shocking it might seem to someone who's from outside. Heck, my school's gatekeeper has a cell too! Not to mention, the sabziwallah, the labour guys and even the rikshawallahs. India Shining, indeed. :P

Macho Girl said...

#clueless
U said it girl! :S

#hotwinter
its amazing isn't it? I still can't believe it...

#soleil
I got a zero dollar handphone too!!! :):)

//So who's your first passenger?
Wud u like to be? So far only clueless was brave enuf to volunteer. How strong is are your nerves? :P (i'll let ya sit in the front seat! its more exciting!)

#outlaw
//when the auto waalah or the milk man, has a mobile which is waaaaaayy more technologically superior that yours and he uses it better than you

Thats exactly what i was thinking about!!! :O :O

#puttas
Hey there! Long time no see! :)

Bus conductors too? looks like whether ppl have food or not, they'll definitely have cell phones in india :P

#TGWSTW
//I know how shocking it might seem to someone who's from outside.

Who me?????? from outside??????!!!!

// India Shining, indeed. :P
Yeh mera india! I love my india! ;)

Unknown said...

First visit to your blog..
Don't even know your name yet!

Anyways... I know how it is when you see anyone & everyone with a cellphone nowadays! The sabziwala comes to our house & says.. mobile maar dena memsaab, hum sabzi lekar aa jaunga :P

Worst is when you realise that they have a better handset than yours & your handset looks best in your pocket :| :P

hehehe,
Take care,
Aarti

PS: Congrats for your learner's licence, I know & have gone thru al that excitement :)