[at-l] On the topic du jour

[optimyst at gmail.com (Richard C Evans)]

As an observer:

Back in the 80's at a spring training game when portable phones were
rare, a guy whips out a bulky phone between innings and proceeds
loudly to paint a word picture for the person on the other end.  My
thought at the time:  "What an egotistical moron showing off his toy. 
May he rot in hell!"

About 4 years ago at sunset on Springer Mountain, a dayhiking couple
taks a perch near mine as I glory in the sublime beauty of the sunset
across the breathtaking vista to the west, the lady whips out her cell
phone, makes a call and is compelled to paint a word picture of what
is impossible to describe, and shatters the perfect solitude I was
basking in.  My thought at the time:  "May she rot in an even deeper
circle of hell than the baseball fan."

My only experience carrying a cell phone on a hike was when I found
one on the trail in the rain and figured I would attempt to return it
to its owner.  It turned out it belonged to the ranger in charge of
the state forest I was hiking through and I was glad that the incident
had allowed me to make his acquaintance.

I have a cell phone.  It is a business tool.  I use it as such.  I
look forward to when I will have no need for it.  I marvel as I drive
to work how frequently the folks waiting at bus stops are chattinging
away incessantly on their cell phones.  There may be cities where
public transportation makes a car an option, but Orlando is not one of
them.  So these folks are too poor to own a car, but not to afford a
cell phone.  I'll never begin to understand it.

Therefore, I cannot completely relate negative experiences with the
device, but for the purposes I escape to the wilds, I find its utility
most dubious, and I certainly never wish to be exposed to its use by
another when in the woods.  Having said that, I don't give a damn what
anyone carries in their pack.

Happy trails,

Solar Bear