Celebrating the anniversary of the cell phone

By Jeff Orvis

Forty years ago, a man was seen walking down a downtown New York street carrying a strange looking two-pound device close to his ear. And the first cell phone call was made.

I wonder if he could have envisioned what that device, developed by Motorola, would become. Those first models cost upwards of $4,000. Today's cell phones weigh just ounces and some can be had for under $20.

Pick any four adults, or teens out of a crowd and it's a good bet that at least two of them are carrying a cell phone. It would be impossible to determine how many lives were saved by people who had a cell phone and could instantly make contact with emergency personnel in the event of a traffic accident, stranded motorists or a passerby helping someone on the street with a medical emergency.

For many of us, it has been a necessary annual expense to belong to a motor club, such as AAA. It is a good added insurance policy. But when I had a flat tire four miles north of Marengo one afternoon, it was a cell phone that save me from a lengthy walk.

Cell phones are certainly handy. For instance, when you have a loved one in the hospital, you don't want to leave their side to go searching for a pay phone to alert relatives and friends about what's happening. In fact, with the abundance of cell phones, you might have a hard time finding a telephone booth.

Have you noticed how many people, especially men, walk around the grocery store while talking on their cell phone? They either refuse to write a list or simply have forgotten some things and contact whomever is home to check on what else to buy. I'll admit I've done that a few times. But I still think it's strange when I walk up behind someone and suddenly hear them talking out loud. I quickly check to make sure they are talking on a cell phone so I don't seem snobbish if they are talking to me!

As the technology has advanced, people don't even have to talk to the person they are attempting to contact. Texting is all the rage, with many texters using their own version of typed shorthand.

I know several devoted texters and they have tried to explain to me the value in being adept at flying their fingers over the tiny keyboard on their phone to communicate with someone else. But just as I have never smoked, gotten pierced or tattooed, I have so far steadfastly refused to text anybody. I figure if I want to talk to them, I'll give them a call. Most cell phones have good answering systems, so if a person can't talk at that moment, they will get the message when they can.

Just as the availability of cell phones have saved thousands of motorists, they have also been the cause of many fatal accidents. A lot of people don't realize that they need to concentrate on the road ahead instead of chattering or texting. I may not be a texter, but I will admit to talking on the cell phone while driving at times.

I remember one sunny Saturday morning. I headed east from Belle Plaine for a shopping trip to Cedar Rapids. Since much of the drive is a straight shot on a county road or Highway 30, I decided it would be a good time to call Mom in Davenport to check on her. I got a good signal and we had a good talk and suddenly, I was on the outskirts of Cedar Rapids. It was scary that even though a part of my brain was concentrating on the road, I had no immediate recollection of the trip. It was as if I had gone into a sort of light coma for a half-hour.

Make no mistake. I am amazed and grateful for much of the technology we have today, such as the cell phone. In fact, one of my favorite dreams is what it would be like to possess the laptop computer I'm using right now and my cell phone way back more than 40 years ago when I was in elementary or junior high school. I could be the only person with access to today's internet. I could get straight A's and my teachers would never understand how I could do it!

But just as that wouldn't be fair, cheating never is, so today we need to remember the right way to use things like our cell phones so we don't put ourselves or others in jeopardy by texting while driving. Turn off your cell phone while in church, at the movies or in class and be aware of who is around you when talking on your cell phone so others won't think you're crazy!