My first cell phone

Saturday, July 19, 2008
by John,

Yesterday I purchased my, our, first cell phone. It will be delivered next week. That is an interesting step in Nancy and my technological lives. We have made the conscious decision, up to now, to not own, or more accurately, not be owned by a cell phone. Talking on the phone is okay for me. There are times to talk and times not to have to talk, times to not be interrupted by a phone call. Nancy and I have both enjoyed being away from home and knowing that we will not be interrupted in whatever we are doing by a phone call. But, things are changing.

Mainly, I am preparing to begin volunteering driving my EV to deliver senior citizens to their medical appointments on my days off. I did that for a few years. Then I stopped and worked with teenagers at the boxing gym. In my humble opinion teenagers can always benefit from more personal attention from adults and I was glad to work with them as a volunteer in their afternoon boxing classes.

While reading Bishop Gene Robinson’s book, In the Eye of the Storm, I was reminded gently but urgently that we all can do more to help others than we are doing. Robinson’s book is very good on many levels. Just one of those resulted in my reexamination of my volunteer activities. The result was that I have given up my participation with the youth boxing program. They have an excellent instructor whom, though it was fun to help, actually did not need my help as much as the low-income seniors need assistance traveling to and from their medical appointments. Transporting them is something that I can do and they are mostly enjoyable, frail, elderly individuals. Besides, my EV does not use gasoline, just electricity, and most of that in this region comes from hydropower and remains relatively very inexpensive.

It is much more important for me to have a cell phone when driving the seniors to their medical appointments. In case of a malfunction with my car, or an emergency with my rider, having immediate communication is vital.

I plan to use the cell phone only infrequently, when needed. I expect that our lives will not change because of the presence of the cell phone. I will not be talking on it while shopping, driving, or in the presence of others. I think that is one reason for the Off button on the phone (or whatever button it may be that turns the thing off). As long as I control the cell phone and it doesn’t control me, then we may have an acceptable relationship. I think that I can, if need be, put it in a drawer at home and not use it.