Communication Overload

A couple of friends are scheduled to fly into town to visit me tomorrow. Also flying into town will be Michael, the hurricane. I’m sure the combination of heavy rain and tropical storm winds will make their trip memorable for all concerned, assuming their flight isn’t canceled. And here I’ve been thinking it was just me that gets the bad luck.

Richmond International Airport has a cell phone parking lot. If there is a space open in the lot, I’ll pull over and wait for them to call or text me to tell me they’ve arrived. However, there are complications. They live outside the US, so their phones normally operate in a different country. They have to “unlock” their phones in order to make international calls. Calling me from the airport terminal will be an international call. That is a small complication. The bigger complication is my phone situation.

I have two phone numbers. One number lets me make and receive free, unlimited phone calls and send and receive free, unlimited text messages using WiFi. The other number uses the cellular network and that company charges a fee for calls and texts. I have two phone companies, two technologies (cellular and WiFi) and one phone. Sometimes it confuses even me.

“What’s your phone number?”
“Depends.”

When I get to the cell phone parking lot at RIC, I will turn on my phone’s cellular data feature. I’ve never used it because I always use WiFi. But that will enable me to use WhatsApp over the cellular network. This means I will be burning cellular data, which will cost extra. But then, phone calls to my cell number also cost extra. But I’m not thinking about the additional fees, which are relatively small. I’m thinking, “How do I make this technology work so that my friends can reach me?” The more options we have for communicating, the more complicated communication becomes. I foresee a time when there are so many options for communication that no one can communicate with anyone.

I almost long for the days of rotary phones, when you stuck your finger into a hole in a dial and spun it around, and the most complicated thing was getting a dime from your pocket for a pay phone. I said “almost”. I’m not giving up on modern times, but I am still adjusting.