On mobile phones

On mobile phones

I would like to comment on Mrs. or Mr. Roestenburg's letter
Lunch with a mobile phone dated Feb. 10, 1995, in The Jakarta
Post.

The use of mobile phones in public places such as restaurants
is getting more and more common. However, users have to be
directed into three categories: 1. business people, who have to
be reached at any place and time during the day; 2. yuppies
(young urban professionals) using a mobile phone as their first
carrier indication in the public; 3. Mr./Mrs./Ms. "Important,"
using a mobile phone only in public in order to indicate their
social standard and their importance.

Most disgusting and disturbing are members of group three, who
can be observed and studied in restaurants, pubs and even
cinemas. Mostly well dressed, consuming expensive drinks, but
asking their servants to call them every five minutes in order to
keep their mobile phones ringing. Especially in noisy places such
as pubs, situations as described by Mrs. or Mr. Roestenburg are
occurring all the time.

Recently, I saw four well-dressed women sitting at a table in
a bar of one of Jakarta's five-star hotels. The table was covered
with drinks, cigarettes and four mobile phones. One mobile phone
was ringing, all four took their phones, but one lady, with a
glimmer in her eyes, said that it was her phone. No need to say
that the other ladies looked quite disappointed, because their
phones didn't ring. Anyway, the lady took the phone, yelled an
obligatory "Hello" into it and then keep quiet for ten minutes.
Her eyes, still shining with pride and importance, went around to
catch any sign of recognition from others in the pub who were so
unfortunate of having no mobile phone or having a mobile phone
which was not ringing. After 10 minutes of one-sided conversation
(I guess she was listening to the latest weather forecast), she
hung up, and her shining eyes transformed to a satisfied smile.

CHRISTIAN WILHELMI

Jakarta