High-tech Miscommunication

I remember when I first had a beeper, my mom would send me a message like this: Please buy bananas and bread. Please call. So, after receiving this message while driving, I look around for a payphone to call my mom. When finally I was able to call her, I asked why she wanted me to call. This is, more or less, what she tells me: Minnie, bili ka ng saging at tinapay. (This is the exact Filipino translation of what she sent to my beeper)

Gadgets for communication are supposed to make connections easier and faster. When my dear friend and I decided to get cellphones years back we were ready with the responsibilities that comes with it. Or so we thought. What responsibilities, you may ask. Well, there's a higher risk that you will be contacted by anyone who knows your number. Even the ones that you wouldn't want to contact you for some reason or another. Any text message you sent to anyone regarding place and time to meet will be held against you. It is a contract of some sort that you are obliged to keep lest you want to hear: Then, why did you text me that we'll meet at blah-blah-blah at blah-blah p.m.

We have had our share of disappointments with our cellphones and the networks that we use. Sadly, though, at the onset these disappointments were with each other. I admit that, I would blame my dear friend. Imagine, blaming him for problems with these gadgets. Like the time I told him to give me a missed call when he has passed the toll gate which would signal me to go to our meeting place but he didn't so I arrived late at our meeting place. Later on I found out that I was, apparently, in a place where there is no network coverage. So, how could he contact me? Or the time that he received my text message much later than the time I sent it. These happen when it is important that he received these messages. I admit, I blame him for things that are beyond our control. And for that, I am really sorry.

We were able to survive without these gadgets. But now that we have it, we should appreciate it usefulness and at the same time accept it's shortcomings.

I understand now why my mom would send me a message on my beeper, ask me to call her and would tell me the exact same message she sent to my beeper. Nothing beats hearing the other person's voice acknowledging that he/she understands what you're trying to say. To my dear friend, expect a call anytime now.