Posted on: Sunday, November 28, 2004

Want to be connected? State your case

By Ka'ohua Lucas

"Why do you need one?" I asked.

"Because I can play games on it," he said. As an afterthought he added, "Oh yeah, and call you every day and tell you that I love you."

I tried to explain to him that I didn't think it necessary for a 10-year-old to possess an electronic device such as a cellular phone.

He might lose it.

Or someone could steal it.

Anything could happen to it.

"And I don't think that playing games on a cellular phone is a good enough reason to buy one," I said.

My 14-year-old has no interest in owning one.

He says that he would probably misplace it.

He claims that he has access to free calls anywhere on his school campus.

"Plus, I can always borrow my friend's cellular if I need to."

My husband owns a phone.

He argues that it's his "electronic collar."

"It's a way for you to track my every move," he says. "You're the only one who calls me on this darn thing."

Oddly enough, I usually never reach him; he has it turned off, or the voicemail box is full.

He admits that he has never checked his voice mail messages since we bought the phone two years ago.

My youngest still insists that it would behoove him to own a cellular.

One day, we were waiting for his older brother to finish football practice.

I thought it would be a good idea to sit him down and give him a few tips in dealing with adults — in particular, parents.

"Look," I said. "If you want me to buy you a phone, you need to make your case. Give me three good reasons why I would think it important for you to have one."

This was a struggle for him.

He had to actually think like an adult.

After some thought, he came up with a few good reasons.

"OK. Here we go," he said holding up his index finger. "No. 1: Safety is most important. If it's an emergency, I don't have a phone to get help quickly."

"No. 2: If dad forgets to pick me up, it would help if I could reach him. That's if he has his cell phone on."

"No. 3: Since I don't wear a watch, cell phones have built-in clocks. They even have an alarm that I can set, which will remind me I need to be somewhere."

"And No. 4: If I had a cell phone, I could call you every day and tell you that I love you."

He i'a kokoke ka ka lawai'a:

A fisherman always finds fish nearby.

Said of one who can get what he wants because he is smart.

Reach Ka'ohua Lucas at Family Matters, 'Ohana page, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Hono-lulu, HI 96802; fax 525-8055; or ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com.