by Dorothy Winslow Wright
*Archived February 2006 article

Having an efficient cell phone has opened all manner of new opportunities for me. It not only challenges my mind but also nudges me into the most extraordinary situations.

For instance, when I missed a call from my son, I clicked on what I thought was his phone, since his name appeared above the number I pressed, but the person who answered was not John. It was a friend who was in an airport awaiting her plane, and was delighted to have a conversation with me to help pass the time. She had tried to call me, which was why her number had popped up. Of course, it was lovely to talk with her, but I kept wondering why I hadn't been connected to John.

When our conversation ended, I studied my small marvel, trying to figure out what I had done wrong. To avoid another mix-up, I went back to my contact list and pressed his name. This time he answered, and told me I'd already answered his previous call. As I explained what happened, I could almost hear his silent chuckle, and sensed that my mix-up would reinforce my children's doubts as to their mother's cellular efficiency.

It didn't help that I had previously called my other son's wife at work by mistake. I thought it was her day off, but her businesslike tone cued me into the fact that she had an associate in her office. I cut my call short, mortified. I later learned that when she's with a client, she shuts off her phone. Although relieved, I saw how intrusive and inopportune such a call could be.

This is especially true if you are on the mainland, as I was when I bought my phone as part of my son's family plan (which reduced costs). My son suggested I start using it right away. "I want you to feel at ease with it before you leave, and carry it with you all the time, even when you're at home," he said. "You could fall in your backyard and no one would know, but with your cell phone, you can always dial 911." It made sense, and I slipped it into my pocket.

The next morning I called my friend Shan in Hawaii. It was 9:00 a.m. California time, and for some reason, I mistakenly thought it was 11:00 a.m. in Honolulu, only to learn that it was 7:00 a.m. and the family was eating breakfast. Flustered, I apologized, aware that I had goofed big-time. Making such a ditzy mistake did little to help my self-image, and I vowed to check time differences before making any future long-distance calls.

What I was discovering is that when you have a cell phone plan, with an unlimited time allowance for family members, you tend to use it more often and become a little careless. With a scattered family like mine, many using the same cell-phone server, calling them is something I can now afford to do. However, I'm coming up with a set of guidelines so I don't overdo it. I love my family too much to do that.

Closer to home, I find my cell phone is my helper. I began writing this article while sitting at a table in Starbucks sipping coffee, waiting to hear from Kahala Shell about the needs of my aging car. When the call came, I learned that it would take at least two more hours before the car would be ready. I knew I could shop, but that didn't do it for me - I had enough of that before Christmas. What I needed was a friend, so I called Alice, who lived nearby, and asked her to join me for coffee.

As I waited, I thought of the ups and downs of learning any new technology, even something as simple as a cell phone, for older people. It can be scary, but I have realized if you don't go with it, you'll slip more behind, and I don't intend for that to happen to me. I'm sure I'll make mistakes, but I'll be communicating in a variety of ways which will enrich my life, and I feel so blessed that I live in a world where such things are possible.