Cell Telephones

By

William D. Dannenmaier

Talking politics, as usual, at the “Cardiac Club,” the conversation somehow wandered off on to cell telephones. Roland said that the ubiquitous use of these telephones is both frightening, in traffic, and puzzling. He argued, I think correctly, that the only valuable commodity people have which is their own, to sell or use as they wish, is their time. 

There was a time when, if I saw erratic, dangerous, driving I assumed the driver was drunk: now I look for, and usually see, a person on a cell telephone. Twice in the past six months I have avoided accidents that would have been caused by other drivers. On both occasions that other driver was on her cell telephone. Roland’s other comment, that the only thing we humans have to dispose of as we wish is ou time, was forcibly brought home to me when Sheila and I did our grocery shopping following our hospital time. 

As usual, I went to get a cup of the free coffee Kroger’s grocery provides with the intention to sit, rest and sip it while Sheila shopped. Kroger’s also had some free snacks of angel food cake, so I took a piece of that and meandered a bit before going to sit down. 

Coffee and cake in hand I noticed a lady with a small girl, I would have guessed eight or nine years of age who, from their dress, appeared to be Mennonites. I said, “Good morning,” to the little girl and received a shy nod in reply. Then I asked if she had had a treat. When she said, “No,” I said, “Come with me.” As her grandmother watched I led her to the angel food bits and took out two pieces for her. As I handed them to her, she dropped one and stooped to pick it up. The father in me came out and I said, “Don’t pick it up. I’ll do that.”  I got a second piece for her, picked up the other for the trash and then wandered on, noticing a young woman pushing a shopping cart while talking on her cell phone with a small boy wandering behind her.  

Later, sitting at the old men’s table drinking coffee the young girl and her grandmother walked past. I receive the same shy smile and wave from her. 

Also while sitting there a girl – I thought – came up and began using the instant photograph machines. I asked her if they worked the same as the way my wife made pictures on the computer. I received a cool “yes,” to which I replied that I’d like to see how she did it. Slowly, she became friendlier, explaining the procedure to me. When she finished and started to leave, I said, “Wait a second, you’re not going to leave without showing me those pictures,” (a little boy had been in one). Not only did she come to the table with the pictures, but the nearby cashier came to look also. They were photos of two small boys – that girl was older than I had guessed. I commented that the little one looked like he had a bit of deviltry in him. She laughed and said he was full of mischief. By the time she left; she, the cashier and I were all on friendly terms and I knew a bit about her sons’ antics. 

Later, I saw the other young woman, still pushing her cart, still busy talking on her cell telephone the bored young boy still trailing behind her. I could only remember Roland’s comment about how much these cell phone users lost by giving up their time to idle conversation. I know I had a better time in that store than did that woman on her cell phone and I’d be willing to bet that the people I talked with – or to – enjoyed their time in the store more than she did also.   

Still later, leaving another store, I saw a young woman with a bassinet in a carrier which was loaded with other things. Being a sucker, as everyone knows, for babies, I asked “How old is the baby?” “Seven weeks.” We left the store together and her truck was parked a few spaces from my car. I asked if I could help and, following a moment’s hesitation she said, “If you could keep the cart from rolling it would help,” so, in a cold wind, I stood and held the cart while she loaded the infant into the truck. Then she came back and retrieved her groceries, leaving two large boxes in the cart. I said, “Let me get those for you, after a baby seven weeks ago you shouldn’t be lifting heavy objects.” She agreed and, with some difficulty, I got those two boxes in the back of her truck. As I walked away, I received a soft, “God bless you.”

I wondered as we drove home who enjoyed their shopping most, the young woman on the cell phone or me and the people with whom I spoke. Roland is right, using those cell telephones people are throwing away the only thing they truly own, their time. All of those people: in cars, hallways, stores, seemingly everywhere spending their precious time on cell phones while losing out on the beauty, the warmth and the pleasures of the world in which they are living.