Pliz cal me: a fictional essay on cellffairs in cellfares

Abstract

Through the genre of fictional essay, ideas to do with the personal experiencing of mobile telephony in specific situations and contexts in Africa are explored. The essay uses the trope of the much used ‘please call me’ facility as a way into a discussion of the weaponisation of calls and text messages, and the creativity around countering and subverting what should be considered the violence of mobile telephony. Beyond personal traumas associated with receiving and making calls, or texting, the essay points to the instrumentalisation of the sim card in one example of personal self-capitalisation and innovation. Above all, it is about what individuals do with mobile telephony, and how they tailor uses to needs, and needs to uses. The context in which the fictionalisation is situated is a time of rapid and traumatic change in Zimbabwe, and the specificity of particular responses to a life with mobile telephony. The neologisms cellffair and cellfare are apt characterisations of these responses to mobility.

Keywords:

• fictional essay
• weaponisation of calls and text messages
• instrumentalisation of the sim card
• Zimbabwe
• trauma
• please call me
• detritus of mobility
• violence of mobile telephony

Acknowledgements and disclaimer

This fictional essay was written during my sabbatical leave in Zimbabwe. I would like to thank the many people who discussed ‘mobile phones’ in Zimbabwe with me: Tendai Chekano who had his usual tall stories to share about mobile telephony; and Donald Mervin who betrayed texting practices of university students; and lastly Mary Chipo who wanted to do a visual arts rendition of the addictions associated with mobile telephony. Characters in this fictional essay are fictional, as in fiction. A close resemblance to persons living or dead, events real or imaginary, would be most appreciated in order for us to understand how mobile telephony touches our private lives and histories. Last but not least, I would like to thank Memory Chirere who read and commented on the draft. His insights are much appreciated. The errors and interpretations are all my fault.

Notes

1. Licoppe discusses ways in which the call as summons and the obligation to answer are being subverted in emerging mobile telephony cultures.