Taking Control of Your Cell Phone

A Little Anecdote

Although I set the alarm for Seven a.m. I'm usually awake and getting ready by Six Thirty. I was sitting at the table, sipping my coffee when I noticed my cell phone was flashing.

Well this was odd. Not even Seven a.m. and my cell is flashing?

I took it up when the flashing had stopped and noticed that the BOSS FROM HELL had started calling my number at Four Forty Six a.m: 4:46 am.

As I gawked, staring at the phone, noticing the dozen calls that had been made between that one and the one I'd just seen, at 6:50 am, the cell began to vibrate. I answered.

BFH said; "Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Pause here, imagine your boss calling you at 4:46 am and having the nerve, not only to do it, but to ask why you didn't answer.

"I shut off my phone at night."

"You Shut Off Your Phone?" He shouts, as if I've admitted to being a cannibal.

"I shut off my phone when I go to sleep." I replied.

He babbled, he bounced around, then told me that his son was going to pick me up NOW and take me to the other side of the island to deal with a matter.

"Sure." I said, and hung up. I put the phone down, continued with my breakfast, ignoring the flashing, then went into the shower.

I leave home at Eight a.m. each day. This was 'a day'.

After my shower and my usual regime I came out to see the phone flashing. The son had called about six times.

I dressed, the phone flashed, I took it, told him I'd soon be out.

I took as much time this day as I take every other day, so was coming out of the premises at Eight a.m.

Just imagine

Suppose I didn't shut off my phone at night. Suppose it wasn't on permanent silence. I would have been woken at 4:46 a.m. Woken as if I were some slave that Massa had a task for. Just let your mind flow over this kind of effrontery for a few minutes.

Now, consider the fact my phone is always on silent. Always in the farthest corner from my bed. That it can't wake me up. Ever. That anyone in the world can call me, but I won't know about it. Not until I'm sitting at the table where I can see the phone, and see it is flashing.

Think of all those people, (maybe there is one in the mirror) who never shut off their cell, who are available every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Persons who, if they have a boss from hell, will be permanently on Call.

Rights

People don't comprehend the obverse of specified rights. You have freedom of speech. I have freedom of hearing.

You can call me any time you want. I will only answer when I am awake and have the phone nearby and feel like it.

If I look and don't recognise the number, if I'm doing something, I am not answering. You can leave a message.

You can call any number you want, but it is up to the person at the end of the number to answer.

Other Points

You want your phone stole, answer it while you're on the street. You want to get into an accident? Answer it while driving. You want to miss out on opportunites, site there and babble while life passes you by.

Most people are so controlled by their cell phones, that they will become blind and deaf and unaware to the world around them once they hear their 'Master's Ring'. They are owned by the Cell. They will be so fascinated by the cell that they will get into accidents, maybe get killed, because they Have To Answer The Phone.

I have seen people come into a venue talking on their cell, when celebrities are an arm's length away. He never saw them.

Whomever felt like speaking to him, Now, took priority. He could be sitting next to Miss World, he wouldn't see her. He could be sitting next to a Prime Minister, he would see him. A guy could be walking up to him with a gun, he wouldn't see that either.

Shut it Off!

Teach yourself to shut off your cell phone, unless you are on call. If someone dies, they'll still be dead tomorrow. Think about it. Is there anything you personally can do about any major crisis at 4:46?

Learn to function in the 'Now'. Look around you, have thoughts. Don't be a slave to your cell phone.

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