My First Cellphone: A Story about Tech Nostalgia
The year was 2014, it was probably October or November when I arrived at Sir Syed University for my entrance test. It was the first time I saw kids my age, have cellphones in their hands because the college I was from didn’t allow phones. I was from a middle-class background and most of the time, not aware of the latest trends going around. So the top trend in 2014 was cellphones. My parents had made it clear to me that cellphones were for adults who work so there was no need for me to have one. I concurred because I wasn’t the stubborn type.
But since having appeared in the entry test there were only two things on my mind. 1. To look amazing on my first day at University 2. Have a cellphone in my hand like a Starplus Bahoo, making Croring ki deals. Those were the good old days when youngsters had their phones in their hands like they were some important business people, only to learn how stupid it was when the phone used to get snatched at Gunpoint.
Anyhoo, it was now 14th January 2005, just one day before my first day at the University. I couldn’t tell Abbu how my heart was set on getting a cellphone before the first day at the university, so I told Ammi. At first, she refused, kept explaining to me how I didn’t need it. But then one day she took me out for a walk, we kept walking in the alleys of FB Area until we reached the Area opposite Sangam ground where there were lots of apartment buildings and many shops. Those were the times when ladies didn’t go into Net Cafés or Mobile shops. Don’t ask me why, I am still not sure, it’s something my parents told me. Well, Ammi took me to a Mobile Shop and told me I have Rs 4000 so buy something in this range. Reminiscing, I feel we were so naïve because we had never bought a phone before. We went to the counter and asked the guy to show us a phone worth Rs4000 and he showed us this beauty, Nokia 1110.
It was love at first sight for me, I grabbed my Ammi’s dupatta and told her this is the one. I am not even sure if it was really worth Rs4000 at that time. But it was my first, and I loved it. I was over the moon that I had my first cellphone. I got a Ufone sim, and Rs 500 balance card and I was ready to rock my first day at the university. And that my friends, I did.
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