Trrrringgggg trrrringggg…
Your phone rings. It’s Mom. Mom calling. Seeing her name flash on your mobile phone is definitely something, isn’t it? Especially when you are somewhere or with someone or doing something (or a combination of all three) that you really don’t want your mom to know of. It’s funny how she always manages to call up at such "odd" times… Damn ESP.
Just a few years ago, mobile phones were only for the rich and famous. And bulky as hell. And expensive too, with incoming calls charged. And now, everybody has one. More than a trend, it has become a necessity. My mom too joined the mobile phone bandwagon and bought a Motorola handset two years ago. She learnt how to sms last month.
Ok ok
I’m being evil I’m just kidding… Love ya, mom.So, curious me want to know, how do you save your mom’s name on your mobile? I save mine as “Mom”.
Funny thing is, “Mom” is used more frequently in the US, while “Mum” is more common in UK. And India being a former British colony, you’d only expect more people to follow this trend. However, it’s quite the opposite. Of course names like “Maa” and “Amma” are clearly more popular over here, but when it comes to the colloquial English term, “Mom” certainly reigns over “Mum” here.
So that brings us back to the question. How do you save your mother’s number?
In my language, the word for mother is “Nu”, but till now I haven’t come across that many Mizos saving their mother’s number on their mobile phones as “Nu”. It’s usually “Mom”, save for a few with more colorful names for their mothers like “Home Minister”, “Jail keeper”, “Wicked Witch” etc.
Please take part in my small survey and let me know which name you use for your mother.
Why am I interested in this topic? Well, here is a funny scenario.
Suppose you’re working extremely late in office, or just got back from partying at 3 in the morning, so you’re tired - Extremely exhausted and possibly sloshed.
You reach home, and fall off to sleep immediately the moment your head hit the pillow.
And then 5 in the freaking morning, the phones rings. Loud. Irritating. Never ending.
At first it feels like somebody drilling through concrete in the middle of your dream. And then you slowly wake up. You realize it’s not a freaking dream. Drowsily you reach out for the source of that infernal noise with your hands. Your eyes are still shut and your hands keep searching.
Finally it finds the little monster. You swear that if it’s one of those HDFC home loans or ICICI insurance telemarketers, you’re gonna give that person the worst curse ever uttered in the history of Mankind.
And then you grip the phone and slowly open your eyes.
It’s Mom!
Her name flashes all over the mobile screen. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom.
You try to cool down by reminding yourself that 5 in the morning is not that early back in Mizoram.
You bring the phone slowly to your ears and clear your throat while taking a deep breath. And then you answer hesitantly…
“Hello…”
The moment you hear the voice on the other end, you suddenly realize… she’s not YOUR mom. Because the freaking mobile phone is not yours!
Suddenly, all signs of drowsiness disappear and you are completely awake. Oh shit, you mutter.
And that mom on the other line is shocked… “Who the hell is this? Who are you? Where is … (insert girl’s name here)???? Answer me! Hello? HELLLOOOOO!!!!”
Oooopsie.
Disconnect. Switch off phone.
Awkward huh?
At this point, you can quietly get up, wear your clothes and leave the house, but don’t forget to leave a small note on the pillow to remind the girl sleeping next to you that her mom had called. Because that is a gentlemanly thing to do.
Ok ok, all jokes apart, and not that I am saying that has happened to me or anyone… I’m just trying to state the possibility of something like that happening…
So the next time you answer a call from “Mom” at 5 in the morning, first make sure it’s your mobile phone.
Do let me know how you save your mother’s name on your mobile. I’m sure many of you will have interesting stories to tell. I’m all ears. Cheers.
