I have never held an I-Pod in my hands.
I don't quite know what an I-Phone is, although I am told that only a fool would use it as a telephone. The name, at least, seems appropriate.
I do own a "cell-phone", although I carry it on my person only when anticipating the sort emergency situation for which it was purchased. Otherwise, it collects dust - figuratively and literally - behind some volumes of Euripides in the library. I recently did need to use it, however.
Someone to whom I wished to speak was on the telephone. In fact, she was on two telephones, and had more than one line open on at least one of them. I simply wanted to ask a question. Of course, things which are said over the telephone are more urgent than anything which might be said in person - face to face, as it were. So I couldn't possibly interrupt the calls, for all I might wave my hands and jump up and down.
I went to the next room - the library - switched on my "cell-phone" and called her. She picked up the line immediately; it might, of course, have been important. After being momentarily taken aback, she answered my question thoroughly and in a business-like way.
This did not surprise me. After all, I had ceased to be a person, and become - an incoming call.
[for Peter Altenburg]
