In the early 21st century, mobile phones were definitely the most popular and fashionable symbol.
Since Nokia launched its candybar phone in 2000, its low price, multiple color choices, and the ability to make and receive calls without being tied to a landline made it a worldwide bestseller.
By the end of 2002, this trend had reached its peak.
Mostar Town welcomed its first mobile phone store in the past few days.
After the mobile phone store appeared, many people tried it and quickly bought one.
Modrić was one of them, purchasing a black candybar phone that was reasonably priced and within his financial reach.
Getting his first mobile phone, Modrić couldn't put it down.
Many people around him showed envy, such as Štelker, who was considering whether to use next week's salary to buy a mobile phone to try it out.
Šuker didn't buy a mobile phone, partly because the current mobile phone functions were too simple, and partly because he didn't have anyone he needed to contact frequently.
Therefore, mobile phones were somewhat useless to him.
Modrić always wrote letters to Zagreb, and having a mobile phone would make things easier, but Šuker really didn't need it.
Even if he were to buy a mobile phone, Šuker would wait another 1-2 years to buy the classic Motorola Razr.
After getting his new mobile phone, Modrić couldn't wait to play with it.
"I remember it being like this, how do you edit a text message?"
"Where do you write? Where do you send it?"
Despite watching the store clerk demonstrate, Modrić was completely stumped.
Looking at the candybar phone in his hand, he had no idea how to use it!
"There's a button on the side, is it that one!" Štelker also helped to come up with ideas.
Šuker sighed: "That's the volume button!"
"Then is it this red button? There's a phone icon here!"
After a while, the classic Nokia shutdown ringtone sounded.
Šuker impatiently leaned over and snatched the phone away.
Long press the hang-up button to turn it on, and after the screen lights up, click on the text message editing screen.
"Write what you want to write on the top, and enter the other party's mobile phone number below, and you can send it."
Modrić suddenly understood.
"Šuker, you really know a lot."
Šuker sighed again.
Soon, Modrić sent his phone number.
"Actually, you can just say 'This is Modrić,' and the other person can directly see your phone number," Šuker said quietly.
"Really?" Modrić scratched his head and said, "I don't know much about mobile phones."
Šuker waved his hand and said; "Forget it, there's always a process of exploration, where are we going next?"
Štelker touched his stomach and said: "Let's eat something, I'm a little hungry."
Young people get hungry easily, especially players like them, who get even hungrier with intense exertion.
The three of them hit it off and quickly found a burger shop in Mostar Town.
This was a shop run by a middle-aged black couple.
"Three burgers, three fried chicken legs!"
Šuker walked to the front of the shop and said loudly.
The middle-aged couple showed a hint of surprise when they saw Šuker: "Hello, little Šuker."
Šuker turned his head in surprise and said; "You know me?"
"Of course, you are a celebrity in Mostar, and there's also Modrić and..."
Štelker said awkwardly: "Štelker."
"Hello, Štelker!"
The middle-aged couple warmly welcomed the three and gave them an extra serving of chicken nuggets.
When the food was served, the middle-aged man pointed to the sauce on top and said: "This is a special dipping sauce we brought from our hometown, you can try it."
Šuker grabbed a chicken nugget, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth. It was a little sweet, but at the same time, it had a slightly spicy feeling, as if his pores were opening up, and soon there was a warm feeling.
It added a touch of warmth to this cold weather.
"Great!"
Šuker gave a thumbs up, which made the middle-aged couple very happy.
After eating and drinking enough, the middle-aged couple requested: "Can you sign an autograph for us?"
"No problem."
After speaking, Šuker, Modrić, and Štelker signed their names on a piece of white paper. Soon, the middle-aged man stuck the signed paper on a spot inside the store.
"Now all that's missing is a poster of you guys," the middle-aged man joked.
Šuker grinned and smiled: "We're working hard, when we become big stars, you can follow behind us selling chicken nuggets!"
Šuker's words made the two middle-aged couples couldn't help but laugh.
At this time, Štelker poked Šuker's waist and said in surprise: "Is that Boa Mwe?"
Hearing this, Šuker and Modrić turned their heads to look.
They saw Boa Mwe walking side by side with a young black woman, and there was a child of about 6 or 7 years old holding their hands, skipping and jumping forward.
"! ! !"
Šuker and the others were shocked.
It is said that black people mature early, but this is too early, isn't it?
The child is already so big?
"It shouldn't be a child, right? Boa Mwe is only 20 years old, and this child looks at least 5 years old. Did Boa Mwe have a child at 15?"
Modrić shook his head.
Štelker: "Having a child at 15? It's not impossible!"
Šuker rolled his eyes unhappily. These two guys' gossip souls started to burn.
"Wouldn't it be okay to just ask?"
Before the two could react, Šuker shouted directly: "Boa Mwe!"
The three Boa Mwe who were walking the child turned their heads. They happened to see Šuker and the others.
Boa Mwe's face was surprised, but soon there was a look of panic.
The woman next to him was also surprised, and then a smile appeared on her face.
"Oh! You are the substitute Šuker, right? I've seen your picture."
At this time, the little girl pointed at Šuker and shouted in a clear voice.
Šuker looked dumbfounded.
The little girl clenched her fists and continued to shout: "Come on! You will become the main player, and you must fight back bravely when you are bullied!"
Šuker was confused.
What is going on!
When Šuker looked at Boa Mwe, the latter was obviously a little flustered. He lowered his head and scolded; "Lina, don't say any more."
Lina looked up and said innocently: "Isn't it good to say that? I'm encouraging him!"
"I'm sorry, Šuker." The older woman walked over and expressed her apology to Šuker.
"My name is Manny, I'm Boa Mwe and Lina's sister, can we talk over there?"
As compensation for the apology, Manny bought Šuker a glass of juice.
While Šuker was sucking the juice, Manny stood next to Šuker and explained;
"Lina has no malice, she just doesn't understand the situation."
Manny said bitterly: "Boa Mwe works very hard every day, but one day, Boa Mwe suddenly told us that he became the main player of the team, and that day happened to be the time when my parents were laid off from the factory. He wanted to tell us in this way that he was fine and didn't need to worry about him."
"But lies are lies after all. One lie needs another lie to cover it up. I don't know when it started, but Boa Mwe gradually started to like lying. He told Lina that he started in the game against the Banja Luka Warriors and had an excellent performance."
"A few days later, he told Lina again that he also had an excellent performance against Tuzla Sloboda."
"And then there's Sarajevo."
Šuker sounded familiar, this seemed to be his story.
Manny had a trace of helplessness on her face: "Boa Mwe cares about you very much, or rather, he envies you very much."
"Envy me?"
Šuker looked at Boa Mwe's height of 185 cm. I'm still envious of him.
"We all know that this is not Boa Mwe's story. He thought that our family didn't have a TV and couldn't get this information. It's just that my parents just lost their jobs, and my and Boa Mwe's income is the support of the whole family, so we thought that even if it was a lie, we shouldn't expose him. Maybe this is also a way for Boa Mwe to vent."
"If you are troubled by this, we apologize to you!"
Speaking of this, Manny bowed to Šuker.
Šuker turned his head and looked at Boa Mwe and Lina by the creek. The latter was squatting on the bank, throwing stones into the water.
The former was carefully looking like Šuker. The two looked at each other, and this guy immediately turned his head away, looking like he had a guilty conscience.
"No need to apologize, it's no big deal!"
Šuker waved his hand.
Manny saw that Šuker didn't care at all, and this time she breathed a sigh of relief and said; "Thank you."
"But... how long is he going to avoid it?" Šuker turned to look at Manny and said: "Face your own problems, solve your own problems. The things in your imagination are certainly beautiful, but how to achieve them is the key."
"By the way, let me tell you some good news, Oliveira, who bullied Boa Mwe, is done for. I guess for Lina, the one being bullied should be me." Šuker said with a smile.
Manny's face was both happy and embarrassed.
"Okay, that's it." Šuker sucked up the juice and smiled; "Thanks, the juice is delicious."
"I'm glad you like it."
With the misunderstanding cleared, Manny was also very happy.
Šuker nodded, looked at the direction of the shore, and said; "Help me tell Boa Mwe that imagination is certainly beautiful, but you can't keep deceiving yourself, it will only hurt yourself and the people around you."
"Face yourself and try to find a solution. This is what a man should do."
In the evening, Boa Mwe suddenly broke into Šuker's dormitory.
"What do you want to do!"
Šuker grabbed the washbasin and shoes on the ground, ready to throw them out at any time.
He thought that Boa Mwe was coming to settle the score after being embarrassed and angry.
Boa Mwe's expression was tangled for a long time, and then he said in a muffled voice: "Sorry! I need to apologize to you!"
After saying that, this guy turned around and left.
Šuker blinked, looked at Boa Mwe's leaving figure, and then put down the washbasin and shoes, and said; "Apologizing is a good boy."
"The way you hold the washbasin and shoes is not intimidating at all," Modrić complained from the side.
Šuker turned his head in surprise and said: "The mute is talking."
Modrić cursed: "You are the mute!"
I have to say that during this time, Modrić has become a lot more cheerful.