T’was a crisp morning in the train in which I was traveling and I knew I was late in getting up because I missed a station I was supposed to have got down for tea. I looked out irritatingly for my darn mobile which till now had never failed to go off at with the alarm. I remember hanging it around the neck but to my horror was broken. It was still dark and so I fumbled around the floor in the vain search of my mobile. I suddenly realized that I do have a torch which was overcome by another realization that torch was also in the mobile!! By this time my mates in the compartment also got up and I urged them also to search for the same with the obvious suggestion by everyone to search my bag first. Yeah, I thought to myself, someone would have seen my mobile on the floor and taken it to safely place it in my bag because he did not want to disturb me!!!
Patiently I controlled myself and urged someone to call to my mobile. Everyone hesitantly looked around for someone to do so instead of doing it themselves!!! I said “don’t worry guys will pay you the cost of the call! Now please call!!!”
I took one of the phones and dialed my number….now wait a minute, I thought to myself, what was my number!!! I don’t know my number!!!…hey I don’t even know my home or my girlfriend’s number!! And she would have sent the good morning message by this time!! Those butterflies and rabbits in my stomach just multiplied!! I still remember proudly boasting a few days back on how my phone has such large phonebook memory!! If only I my brain had some!!
With lots of guesswork; and a little luck (about time!!), I recalled my number and dialed it. A very sweet voice on the other end replied that she is sorry that the mobile which I was trying to reach was switched off. In my sheer desperation even that robotic voice was so soothing!!
By this time people around the compartment were fully awake and since none of them had any better work to do they piled me up with suggestions!!
Pull the chain and report this to the police right now someone suggested, another one said why to pay the fine of pulling the chain when the next station is nearing where I can complain. One of them who had the same service provider as mine suggested I call the customer care and complain about the theft and offered his phone for the same (knowing fully well that it was toll free and anyway he had no balance for other calls!!)
This suggestion was the best one and I dialed the number to be greeted by the same sweet voice asking me in which language I would like to be comforted!! After I selected English she asked would I like to know the offer of the day or listen to the latest caller tune!!!! I was beyond myself and getting irritated to the limit!!
She continued asking me if I wanted the balance detail or recharge details and a ton of other useless details and offers!!
After a long wait, a faint voice finally decided and said I need to press the hash key for speaking to the customer care executive…finally I got through only to be greeted by the same voice saying all are busy and I am very important to her so please wait. I have heard of stalkers and maybe she is one!!
After soothing my nerves or rather heating it!! I finally was greeted by another sweet voice who said very good morning and asked how she can help me….she added that the conversation can be recorded for training purposes!! Like a guinea pig, I thought to myself!!!
I told her that I have lost my mobile and it was coming as switched off when I call. She said nothing to worry about sir; we will help you locate it!!
I was happy beyond words!! And then she asked me if I have the imei number?
I asked, “What is imei number! I am emotional quotient number of something?!!” I thought why she has to ask if I was emotionally stable!! When the voice on the other end surprisingly said, “IMEI number sir”
The kid on the opposite birth looked at me with disgust and asked, “you don’t know what IMEI number uncle is!!??”
Yesterday when I was showing of the new java game in my mobile, he was exclaiming what a cool game bhaiyya!! And now the lack of this knowledge of this confounding number thing and I became an old uncle!!!
The lady sensing that and concluding to herself that I have a brain of a dodo set out to explain that it will come if you punch certain number on your phone!!
I said, “Well the thing is I don’t have the phone!!!! Which was the problem in the first place!!?”
She calmed me down and said, “don’t worry sir, it will be written on the box sir!!”
Yeah right! I thought to myself; as if I will be carrying the box in which I bought the mobile everywhere I go!!!
Anyway after reaching the zenith of my patience, I told her as nicely as possible that I will get back to her once I get the IMEI number!! She said she will block my number and asked if she was helpful enough and thanked me for calling!!
A lot help!!! I was depressed then, I was in the deeps now!!
Reaching the station, I decided to at least call my home and explain that I was safe and sane!!
I had to ask even the address where I was supposed to go!! That was majestically stored in my mobile!! With regret I was remembering how I had proclaimed that my data pda phone also reads documents and thus I don’t need to have any papers on me much to the chagrin of my mother!!
I could still remember how she grumbled it will be easier and safer to write that on a piece of paper!! I could imagine the taunts I would get now when I will ask her the address again!!
I suddenly realized I could not message my girlfriend since morning!! I could not obviously ask my mom for the number which I knew she would have and pretend not to!!
I struggled hard to remember the number and called her to get some word of sympathy but instead got, “oh my god!! Then all those nice messages I sent to you and all those great photos in which I was looking nice was gone!!!” and I was left more in the dump!!
I went to the service provider and asked if I can get the same number to which she said I need to register a police complain and bring the copy!! As if my number is in so much demand!!!
I also realized that without my reminders (I was often praised for remembering birthdays and anniversaries recently all cause of the mobile!!), calculator and messages I was lost like a ship without sail!!!(Maybe the old generation ship!! I really don’t care much for metaphors; I lost a mobile you see!!).
I realized that I was so dependent on the mobile even as much that I stopped wearing a watch!!!
Anyhow, after futile attempts at locating my mobile I bought a new one; albeit a better one to pamper my mood!! (Anyway my mobile was three months old and outdated!!)
I also got my old number back and got my contacts and my girlfriend’s number back!!
In short my life was back on track!!!
The rope around my neck is stronger and I do constantly see the time on the mobile just to confirm that the supporter of my life is safe!!
Some mobile tips:
The IMEI number is the core of the mobile, never buy a mobile phone without it, the number can be found in the box.
Always back up your phone especially data phone and high end phones with the available software usually bundled with the phone (Nokia pc suite, Motorola mobile phone tools etc)
Messages, photos and videos on the phone if personal should be properly taken care of and if possible deleted after back up as once lost it is left for everyone to see and pass around (you loose a phone and next thing you know is that you are an internet celebrity!! Of the wrong kind!!)
Always keep a back up of the phone numbers with you, most of the phone software can even give a print out of the contact details if you are too lazy to write.
Data phones are sensitive, keep them away from water; it may play havoc with the circuit and may even burn it!!
Your mobile phone is a personal device, realize that!! You do not have to advertise to the whole world about it!!! Follow that for your own good!!
Don’t listen to the mobile phone music in full volume or you may not be able to listen to anything at all!!
Mobile etiquette is something which is the need of the day; practice it
Happy mobiling!!
Dr Sriram Nathan
ramadocblog 