Project 4 - How to Say It - "Old is Gold"

It all started six and a half years ago, just a couple of days after my Birthday. I still have vivid memories of that evening. There was a pleasant, gentle breeze blowing around and I could feel the excitement in the air. I, along with my parents and sister, finally reached the destination. With absolutely no pre-conceived notions, we started looking around. I believe it was ‘Love at first sight’! My gaze rested on it and its sheer beauty mesmerized me. And the very moment, I decided it was going to be mine. I consider this to be one of those defining moments when my trusted companion for the last 6.5 years entered my life. Any guesses what it is? – My very first cell phone!

The subsequent days were a whirlwind of activity as we started getting acquainted with each other. Getting the new number, putting in the SIM Card, the very first call, the very first text message! It was a whole new experience for me. So much so that when I wanted to send one of the messages from my Inbox to a friend, I actually wrote it down on a piece of paper. And then typed it out under the New Message option and finally sent it. Wish I had explored more and figured out the ‘Forward’ option sooner!

Within 15 days of our association came my trip to another city. And that is when I spent the first sleepless night, thanks to my new cell phone, a precursor to many more which were to follow later. The journey included overnight bus travel and the fear of losing my precious cell phone kept me awake all night. This trip is etched in my mind for more than one reason. It was during this very tour that I was closest to losing my beloved. Yes, I had left my purse which contained the cell phone on a vehicle and went away. Thanks to a kind soul, I got it back intact and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Believe it or not, in the 3^rd year of Engineering, I was among the first few to possess a cell phone. And it sure was a style statement too. Nowadays, cell phones are a common-place entity even in high schools. In fact, the day may not be far when cell phone number of the student is a mandatory requirement for primary school admissions. Back in college days, making calls was an absolute luxury and one had to think twice before sending even a text message. This was when a friend introduced me to the concept of ‘missed calls’. Now all of us very well know what missed calls are. But there was a catch. This friend of mine and I played a game – To pick each other’s “supposed” missed calls. After 6 months & hundreds of rupees, good sense prevailed and we switched to the conventional mode of missing calls!

While we are on the topic of ‘Missing’, the longest that I had been away from my cell phone back then was one and half months. The fact that it was also my first brush with hostel-life made me realize the immense importance of staying connected. Subsequently, when I ventured out to begin my professional journey, I decided to go in for a new cell phone after a lot of deliberations. Thankfully, the old one was not discarded altogether but was handed over to my sister.  

But what’s a story without a happy reunion? And reunion it was going to be! The Infosys training took me over a short span of 6 months to 4 different states; the last among these 4 states being my final location of posting. People such as me who are hooked on to cell phones always believe in ‘The more the merrier’. Hence, I decided to go in for an additional device. My obvious choice for this purpose was undoubtedly my long-lost old companion. And thus we were united again – one big happy family; me and my two cell phones!

Over a couple of decades, cell phones have evolved drastically. With the initial models which resembled cordless telephones to the subsequent ones which looked sleeker but had only calling and messaging features. Then came the cell phones with in-built camera and music applications and finally the latest ones which have Bluetooth, Internet, Gaming and so on. But does it mean that each and everyone will purchase these latest handsets? No! The so-called primitive models still hold some inherent benefits. Firstly, they are absolutely safe from thieves. C’mon, given a choice which one would a thief choose? Secondly, they serve the basic purpose of calling and text messaging. For everything else, as they say, we do have laptops! Lastly and most importantly, the antique value associated with them. Just imagine the prize this mobile may fetch some 20 years down the line – just as an antique coin or stamp does!

So although I am on the lookout for a new cell phone, I am sure that this one will remain with me as a souvenir, forever! After all, as the saying goes, Old is Gold!