What do I know about cell phones and there many applications? Very little, but what I love to do? is watch the users of these small items of modern technology. In days gone by, you phoned a number from your set and if there was no answer, you assumed the recipient was away from the house, office or desk. Not so today, men answer their phones, unless already busy on the phone with someone else, or they will return your call immediately.

Not so woman, these beauties, when married, will use their phones to contact friends, and when finished will ignore the phone when it rings. Why? Because it is left prone on some surface, not within earshot, and only to return their husbands calls with the “were you looking for me?” question. “No, we merely phone so that the dog could hear the ring tone.” Why would we want to make contact.

But this is not the crux of the article, the human behaviour, ad-libbed by the cell phone user, whilst on a call in public, is. I partook in a “cup pa” the other day at a coffee shop a mall, and observed the people around me when their phone rang. The greetings over, the voice immediately increased in volume by 20 decibels, and the conversation would continue. This reaction observed, with the recipient remaining in their seat, it was obvious that the caller was a friend. The coffee shop, at which the call is received, identified loudly as the present position of the phone user, normally announcing to the world the purchases made or whom met.

Hand gesticulations demonstrating the directions, sizes and shapes of items of discussion. The direction pointing at who knows what, followed by the hand on hip, as if attempting to communicate an emphasise on a point, to someone who maybe 1000 kilometres away. Now I am not an eaves dropper, and the conversations between friends have no attraction to me, but these very forms of communication demonstrated by users fascinates me. Are the users aware that they are performing for all to see? Is this a demonstration for the benefit of the observer?

I enjoy the calls received, where the recipient excuses themselves and walks a distance, out of the earshot of others, and communicates in a low voice. These users are normally the most vocal, with their hands. Are these an argument started earlier? The folding of the arms and hunched back, the gestulating hand and the emphatic pointing, certainly indicative of a discussion that should rather be continued behind closed doors. Shaking heads and the irritable look of the returning caller, when re-joining the table, would indicate this.

The best and most humorous, happened on my way home, stopped at a robot, the car next to me, a woman gesticulating with both hands. It was obvious that she was extremely upset with the caller on the other end of her car phone, the fast and vicious mouth movements, coupled with the hand movements, indicative of an argument. I looked back to the car behind her, the occupants of which were apparently enjoying the same show I was. The robot turned green and moving cars required I continued on my way, she appeared unaware of this, and with a small reminder from the cars stacked behind her she took off. The squealing of tyres and the speed at which she past me, made this incident even more comical. The discussion had not ended, as the hands were still acclaiming her anger.

What did we do in days of old, when phones attached to walls or desks restrained our movements? Were the hand gestures less, and the emphasis different?

I observed my daughter conversing on her cell with a friend half way across the world, the call lasted a good half hour, but never once did she stop moving. She visited each room in the house, looking for what, I'm not quite sure.

I come from a generation, where the phone was wall mounted. It had no numerals, but a handle on the side, requiring a vigorous turn to contact the exchange. They would connect you to the number you required, and even eaves drop if they so wished, with the excuse of checking to find out if the call was over.

These old phones, never heard the likes, of what the cell phones of today experience.