Saturday, February 21, 2009

A night without my mobile




Technology has changed the way we look the world. The electronic devices have become so pervasive in nature that existence without them seems almost impossible. Sometimes they can also be compared to necessities like water and air given the extent to which their absence paralyses us.

Recently I had one such opportunity of realizing this fact which I will narrate subsequently. It was a normal Friday evening, and I was busy working on an assignment which was scheduled to be submitted late in the night. The universal law “Work concentrates itself close to deadline” seemed to follow in all our submissions. This night was no different. The task seemed arduous but somehow I had managed to get it near completion. Suddenly my cellphone rang. It was one of my friends from my graduation who was calling. I took the call and he asked me to join him for a party to be held at “The Supper Factory” at GK1 the same night. Now how could someone refuse an invitation like that? I readily agreed and promised to reach on time. The occasion was the scholarship won by another friend of mine for his outstanding academic achievement. Frankly speaking given my lazy attitude I have never been considered by any sane committee or body for similar accolades. Anyways won’t continue with my sad story and get back to the point. So I got ready for leaving and checked whether I had kept all my accessories including my I POD, handkerchief, wallet and room keys. While on my way in an auto to GK1 I realized that I had missed the most important thing I needed for the night, my cell. My heart skipped a beat and I prayed to GOD that help me meet my friends at the said venue else there would be more trouble.

Locating the venue turned out to be as difficult as the US hunt for OSAMA, but fortunately after 10 passersby (9 of whom hadn’t heard of the location earlier in spite of standing just 100m far from the same) I finally reached there. As in the Indian judiciary “Truth Alone Triumphs”, in my life “Murphys law alone does”. As Murphy has said “If anything can go wrong, it will” and it did. The venue for the party was closed owing to an ongoing marriage celebration and I had no clue what to do. My cellphone was not with me, no PCO was in sight and worst of all I didn’t remember any numbers to call. Finally I was able to locate a public phone booth. After scratching my head for five mins finally cud recollect my moms cell number faintly. I dialed the same and there it was…. Wrong Number. After a couple of attempts I could get the right number and cursed my bad memory. It was a long process. Finally through a chain of calls I could finally get back to my friends and they gave me the details of the new venue which was far from here. So again I got in an auto cursing my mistake and this time the luck played worse. The auto driver was inebriated and barely could open his eyes. I soon realized that this could be my last journey and started my prayers. Fortunately GOD listened this time and I successfully landed at the new venue. This time again was greeted with bad luck. Entry was strictly on reservation basis and I had to again call my friends who told me that the venue has again been changed and reach the new one. Oh! My GOD. Again the pursuit for discovery began and finally I met with my friends.

The Mobile blunder again played a spoil sport as I had to contact my group for assignment and the only member whose cell number I had didn’t respond. Finally the night passed with me missing my cell more and more. The next morning I could not wake up on time because my Mobile which incidentally also plays my alarm clock was not with me. Unable to contact anyone I began my journey back to Delhi and took 2 hrs for a 20 min trip owing to the lack of information availability. Finally as soon as I reached home I looked for my cellphone and held it like a mother discovering her lost child. Indeed it was like missing your girlfriend. Finally I swore not to forget it ever in future.