So I Was On The Bus Earlier Today

Listening to: Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One

The first cellphone I ever saw was when I was eight. It belonged to my dad; a bulky Ericsson that was installed in his Honda Accord and was powered by the car's cigarette lighter. As with most cellphones in the early nineties, you couldn’t bring it with you. Those you could carry were large heavy black blocks with a tall antenna. You could use it to bludgeon snatch-thieves and muggers or stab them with the antenna, and then call your girlfriend afterwards to say you’ll be a little late...

Fast forward to 2007, and every six months they come up with a new phone with even more features than before. Last year’s model is now obsolete… sorry mate, can’t get ya’ accessories for that. Before switching to Samseng (a hand-me-down from my well to do cousin when she got a newer one), I had an NEC e238, and before that… a Nokia 5185 while in the States. Large antenna, monochrome LCD, unscratchable, unbreakable, and no SimCard (like many American phones at that time), it was your oldschool cellphone.

But they don’t make phones like the 5185 anymore. The clamshell NEC had the metallic paint flaking off after several months of use, and deep scratches on its flimsy plastic casing. Nice flip-open & close sound however. And when Malaysian stores started phasing out the NEC models, I had difficulty getting a USB cable for the phone. Upon learning that people change their phones every year like their underpants to appear “happening” and “trendy”, the execs must have realized it wasn’t worth the effort anymore to design phones with armored casings. Phones that won’t break/scratch when you drop them from arm’s-height.

Or maybe they designed them so they’ll break or look all worn and chipped after a year so people would be compelled to buy new phones. Nice business strategy. Did the egg or chicken come first? Anyway thanks, assholes.

* * * * *

On the bus, I heard someone’s cell go off: It was a classical music piece, probably Beethoven. Later, another cell rang: ringtone was “Hollaback Girl”.

Then a friend called me: “Beeep Beeep”, went my phone. Oldschool ring.

This guy sitting next to me asked: ”Cool! What ringtone is that?!”

Another guy on cellphone use.

And Minishorts gave an LG away...