I completed high school and PU College in small town but never had exposure modern gadgets or internet during that time. For Engineering studies moved to Bangalore and it was like a cocoon coming out of its nest, everything and everyone was new. That was the first time I was visiting Bangalore alone was shocked by the life style of the people, people running behind the buses to reach the work place in time. No body was there to guide me how to reach my uncle’s home. Enquired the buses going to the address and a humane bus driver guided me. Without thinking much got into the bus and sat in the front row of the bus, I was asked to move back as it was reserved for Women passengers only! I didn’t get seat and was standing. Everyone was busy in their own world and a few were busy on mobile phones. That was the first time so many people using mobile phone. Over the period time slowly I also learnt usage of internet and owned a mobile too. Was keeping mobile as sacred one and always took care such that no scratches should be made on Mobile display. Joined the college and introduced with the students who had also come for studies from different places, with much curiosity all exchanged our numbers also. It was the same time different mobile service companies offered the free messages that too 100 messages per day and it became the major means of communication. I was exposed to new means of communication which I never imagined till that time.
One among us was a student from rural Gulbarga who used to be busy always on the phone. It was an unusual thing for us as we never used to get calls so frequently and the only call we used to receive is from the home! Without controlling curiosity asked him what is the matter and who calls you so frequently? The answer he gave was quite shocking, he was the first person to have a mobile phone in his village and he gave his number to everyone with pride when he visited there. People who were curious to know how the conversation will takes place on mobile phone had also called him!
Free messages by the various cellular companies were also at boom that time. It was boon to many as even messages can be freely sent to unknown numbers and if the people on the other side reply to the messages it was pavement for new friendship. Like that also few among my friends gained new friendship with people who they never saw and most of the times those friendships used to be continue longer if the person who has responded to the message is girl. The messaging or texting was as common as that of speaking to the person in front only to stop during sleep in late nights and to start early with a good morning message. Nest stage was to meet up, some how organizing vitamin – M (code word for money) these guys used to meet girls in secret and slowly turned the friendship into love and romance. Few broke up with these relationships in the daily pressure of studies and busy schedules and a few with the thinking that they can’t hook up longer but a few kept these relationships with a plan to tying knots in the coming future, need to wait and watch. A few among the break ups had started going to bars and to drink with a reason that they want to forget the pain (as if the girl has agreed for marriage and later cheated) comparing their love with Layla – Majnun and Salim – Anarkali and a few tried promptly to get mobile numbers of other girls from various sources!
This kind of friendship was new to me and never even attempted to give a try with fear but enjoyed the stories which my friends used to narrate me in their own ascent.
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