Cell Phones: A Good Thing

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Posted by: book_lover_abroad Original: 1/21/2008 10:32 AM Comments: 2 eProps: 4 Read Comments Post a Comment Back to Your Xanga Site

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2 eProps from: anselm_the_presbyterian Fairadine

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Monday, January 21, 2008

There are very few times in my life that I have been truly appreciative of having a cell phone. Mostly I just think of it as a leash - not one held onto by any one person, but just something that keeps a guy in check. You carry a cell phone and you are its slave; you get calls, you make calls, you get text messages that implicitly suggest that they deserve immediate attention in the form of a reply. Perhaps the only time in my life that I have been really glad about having a cell phone is when I got into a wreck on the interstate because someone didn't tie down a ladder and it fell off their trailer and I ran over it going about 70 mph. Yeah, not so good because the guy behind me wasn't watching, so when I slammed on my brakes he didn't. You can see where this is all going.

Never before, however, was I aware that my cell phone could get me out of a potentially sticky situation with the authorities. With foreign authorities to boot. See, it is a little...unnerving, shall we say?...to come home from class and find a letter under your door from the British TV Licensing Officials informing you that you flat is going to get a visit from their National Enforcement Division so that they can see if you're operating a telly without a license. Furthermore, if you are, then they are going to find your sorry little butt for #1,000.

Fortunately, they provide a nice little phone number down at the bottom of the page for you to call "if you do not use TV receiving equipment at this address...so we can inform our officers on the ground." Of course, after you call that number (0870 850 5522, for those of you who might live in the UK) you don't get any more nasty letters - they just confirm what you said when they come visit. Apparently.

I didn't even do anything! Help! I was beginning to think that living in the UK wasn't so bad and now this! Thank goodness I could pick up my cell phone and call them right away!

[Since I don't have any TV receiving equipment (and don't use my laptop to watch live tv) I'm perfectly legal, just so you know.]

Posted 1/21/2008 10:32 AM - 2 comments

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2 Comments

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Nice story. Have I told you about all my run-ins (four to date) with the police since moving up here?

Never thought I'd say this, but I'm with you on cell phones. Disturbingly, I'm morphing into someone who would rather talk than write, at least for conversational purposes. Now I know how Jekyll felt when he realised he was permanently transforming into Hyde.

Posted 1/22/2008 12:55 AM by anselm_the_presbyterian - reply