ON THE PHONE

Mahesh told me he had a friend who went abroad some years ago. He came to know that his friend was back on a visit and called him on the phone and said ‘Hello, I am Mahesh’. His friend asked ‘Which Mahesh?’ Mahesh felt offended and cut the call. He told me his friend has forgotten him. I told him that if we don’t meet for a few years and then if he called me one fine day and said ‘Hello, I am Mahesh’, I would also ask him ‘Which Mahesh?’ Mahesh is a common name here and I know several people with this name. If I see him in person I would probably recognise him, but I can’t be expected to recognise his voice after a few years.

Talking on the phone is not like talking in person. We have to be more careful. The chance of being misunderstood is more. Also, the person we are talking to may be facing some personal problems or may even be sick and we will not know about it. If we see the person we can tell by their facial expression that there is something wrong.

Moreover you never know who is listening to what you are saying. Someone may be listening on an extension or the person who received your call may be using a mode on his phone such that everyone around him can hear what you are saying. You will also not know if what you are saying is being recorded to be used against you at a later date.