I am in high spirits. I HAVE FINALLY OBTAINED MY PHONE!

You know the impediments of not possessing a smartphone in today’s world, right? It is subversive, against the norms of social etiquette. Your friends are continuously comparing game scores, discussing their lives over WhatsApp, planning trips, contributing to important decisions like climate change and habitat loss(or so it seems) discussing projects animatedly and listening to their favorite music and what are you doing, suffering in FOMO? This phone-free status had turned my world upside down and made me feel like a “recluse”. It didn’t matter if this device provided you with uninhibited access to the inevitable, cyberbullying, vulnerabilities, and distractions (A huge list provided by my well-wishers), I was not OK to live in the pre-historic times, you see! And clearly, the positives outweighed the negatives. (At least, for now…)

After 2 years of imploring, coaxing, dramatically outpouring emotions, providing every logical and illogical reason that crawled into my mind, as to why exactly I needed a phone(as I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, “The WhatsApp Status”), my parents had finally, FINALLY, ceded to my request.

Two months before that fateful day, my mother drove a hard bargain. If I was to receive my phone, I had to prove it (OBVIOUSLY, there was a catch. Why would I EVEN BOTHER EXPECTING that my parents would give in that easily? After all, those unyielding humans had ignored my requests for years☹). The conditions were many-(a)I had to be outstanding in every academic term in terms of my concepts (b) I had to help my mom with the household chores (c) I had to BEHAVEEEEE(I only lose my temper at times though!) (d) I had to be more polite towards that monstrous Em. (e)I had to be more aware of my screen time and content. Can you imagine that?! It was an entire Terms and Condition template and I had to check every box righteously☹.

When I agreed to the bargain, I had absolutely no idea what I would be undertaking. I still completed all the tasks, showing how I would go to any extent to get my phone! There were piles of textbooks, workbooks, and worksheets for every single subject. The calculations sapped my brain, and the definitions deluded my mind, but I put my nose to the grindstone…

For me, CHORES=CHAOS. And this time was no different. I did have some fun  annoying Em to the maximum, ESPECIALLY when washing the dishes and sweeping the house. When I tried sweeping, I left the dustpan in one corner and the broom in another. Thus, I nearly tripped everyone in the house as the dust took a turbulent journey from one side of the room to the other. As for washing the dishes, I love water. At any chance, I would go to the swimming pool or have water fights. I used that to my advantage and drenched Em and my parents as payback for the situation they had rudely put me in😉.

The final and the hardest task: BEHAVING and BEING NICE TO EM!

(Cue the dramatic, intense, depressing music)

Ok! So out of the 16 hours, I’m awake, I spend a grand total of 1.5 hours arguing with Em. It may sound unbelievable but it’s true. And those fights comprise of shouting, heated arguing, and me being extremely sarcastic toward Em. Most of the time, she loses the argument, but this time…I had to be nice. Em found this deal extremely beneficial to her, so, SHE USED THE DEAL, THE CONDITION, to make me do everything she wanted and agree to everything she needed, and I COULDN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Firstly, she forced me into playing dress-up and tea parties with her, building blocks, supervising her downstairs and even worse. Secondly, now, when we argued, I could not be sarcastic or “rude”! Several times, I was highly tempted to begin yelling at everyone, but I couldn’t as that would override TWO conditions.

Once I finally got my phone…well…I executed my revenge😊. So, for now I was simply focusing on the light at the end of the outstretched tunnel.

That night, my father walked in and announced that he was going to order my phone. A week ago, he had already questioned me on which phone I required. I spent days nagging him, looking at all the features and checking and rechecking the reviews. Gradually, after ALL THAT research, we finally agreed on a good one (I want to be modest), while my mother stood by, rolling her eyes, and constantly disturbing me, saying that I ABSOLUTELY SHOULDN’T have a phone. However, she supported me laughingly in all my excitement. The course of events that occurred next put me on cloud nine. Since the online purchase depicted a 10-day delivery time, my dear dad retorted that we would leave immediately to buy the phone. I glared at him skeptically, as he had been first LIFTING MY HOPES and then bringing them crashing down( AND HE WAS LAUGHING☹) but fortunately, all my cajoling had paid off. I quietly restrained myself from screaming at the taxi driver to drive faster and clamped down on my bubbling exhilaration which was threatening to spill over by the second. When we reached, I rushed into the store, and after an hour, I walked out with my new phone in my hand. I sauntered through the door and spent the next 3 HOURS, setting up every single thing I would need. My friends were equally thrilled and congratulated me.

Ok, so as I had anticipated, the unboxing of the device came with the electronic…rules. Parental controls. Screen time limits. Responsibilities…but I agreed to everything, YES, EVERYTHING! I promised my parents that I would obey. I was incredibly ecstatic and had a spring in my step all day. I was extremely grateful to my parents and immensely proud of my persuasive skills too😉! I vehemently thanked my parents for their generosity….The magic finally happened after two years.

Signing off…