Within the confines of an all-male gathering, five friends engaged in lively discussions on various topics. Unexpectedly, a female voice pierced the air with the words “I love you, John.” Startled, they jumped up, eyes wide, scanning the room for the source of the sound. The television was off, and no woman was in sight. The mysterious voice echoed once more, revealing itself to be a friend’s mobile ringtone. He answered the call, ending the playful suspense. As it turned out, the friend had cleverly set his wife’s voice as the distinctive ringtone, making every call from her a declaration of love. However, behind the scenes, the conversations with his wife seemed to trigger some tension, evident in the sound of teeth grinding during their exchanges.
This incident brought to mind another similar occurrence at a funeral. An unexpected voice disrupted the solemn atmosphere, prompting discussions on the concept of personalized ringtones.
Many claim to set unique ringtones as identifiers for different callers. A neighbor, for instance, had assigned animal sounds – donkey, cat, camel, and sheep – to various in-laws, enabling him to anticipate the caller even before picking up the phone.
Similar strategies extend to people with similar names. They often add a descriptor to the contact entry, such as “Bhola 1” and “Bhola 2,” to differentiate between contacts.
Meanwhile, others associate specific colors with names. A colleague, for instance, applied different color tones to his contacts. For his mother, the song “Mayi Ni Mein Kanu Akha” played, while his father’s number activated a voice intoning, “Dad says, ‘I will give you a big name.'”
Brotherly calls invoked tones like “Don’t be an enemy; a friend has done that work.” Even mundane activities, like making tea, elicited musical interludes. Once, in the midst of brewing tea, a call prompted the ringtone, “Moves like an elephant, moves like a tail.”
Some individuals exhibit a passion for frequently changing their ringtones. Their phones become repositories of a vast collection, swapped every couple of hours. These enthusiasts often indulge in the pleasure of listening to their various tones, reveling in the auditory variety. The ringtones, audible for miles, offer personal amusement even if the calls aren’t immediately answered.
Religious tones are also popular choices. A friend had set “Bismillah” as his ringtone, which resulted in an interesting incident involving hot tea during an argument with his wife. His phone’s timely recitation of “Bismillah ul-Rahman-ul-Rahim” seemingly served as a form of divine intervention.
Yet, some embrace unconventional ringtone choices. A friend, prone to pondering mortality, selected “Ana Lal Wana Ali Rajoon” as his marriage ringtone. Such choices often lead to amusing, even bewildering, scenarios.
The realm of ringtones extends to text messages as well. In an elevator, a sudden dog bark ringtone startled everyone, leading to the discovery that someone had received a message.
Frequent ringtone changes are part of some people’s routines. They derive great pleasure from exploring new tones and showcasing them to friends. Even while driving, they might open a window and await messages, regardless of the surrounding public’s reactions.
Caller tones, distinct from ringtones, offer another dimension of self-expression. One individual’s experience with a “woman’s carbine scream” during conversations in a car highlighted the potential for embarrassing situations. Similarly, sudden door-knock sounds often signify incoming messages, adding a touch of whimsy to the neighborhood.
Amid the playful world of personalized tones, occasional mishaps arise. Misguided attempts to remove ringtones might result in unforeseen charges. A misadventure in this realm led to an unintended exchange with the mobile company’s customer service representative.
In the end, this whimsical journey through the world of ringtones and caller tones illustrates the creative and sometimes comical ways people seek to make their devices uniquely their own.