[Paddlewise] Cell Phone Rant . . .

        At the risk of sounding like the quintessential anti-yuppie, I'm
inclined not to use telephones much ("I'm so important that I can't be
reached."), and the cell phone routine is something that I'd like to avoid
completely . . . along with liver and onions. 

        The problem with the cell phone is that you have to sign up for
service and pay hook-up and monthly service charges. . . in addition to user
charges for the calls. And then, any jerk with a quarter in his pocket and
your number can interupt your train of thought at he press of a few buttons. 

        Now, in the half-century that I've been on this planet I've never
needed a phone so badly that I was unable to wait until I got to one. I
can't justify the expense for the use I'm going to get out of the whole
system. . . maybe an emergency call once in five years. Watching the
fly-anglers on the Deschutes with their color coordinated Patagonia waders
and vest, a Sage rod, Hardy reel in one hand and the cell phone pressed to
the ear just makes me retch. Sitting around the campfire at night and
calling my broker for stock quotes is not my idea of getting away from it all. 

        There's times when I'd like to get away from the telephone. Kayaking
seems to be one of those times. I'll rely on my VHF radion and my kayaking
skills. But that's just my opinion. I could be entirely wrong. 

        Geo. 

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