I pulled into the parking space, then had this sinking feeling. My phone. Did I remember my phone? I checked the pocket of my bag. The pocket I reserve for my phone.
SHITAKE MUSHROOMS! I'd left my phone at home.
Have you done that? Realized you're "out there" without your phone, and suddenly it feels like you're spinning aimlessly through space, no way to reach Ground Control? Or for Ground Control to reach you?
Okay, I told myself. No biggie. Just carry on.
I was meeting with a student and was planning to swing by Chaco's dorm afterwards. He'd left his winter jacket, so I'd brought it along so I could drop it off since his dorm was on my way home. I would just text him when I was on my way. Oh, sure, I'd remembered to bring the jacket!
I went into the library and thought, what if my student is running late? Or has some other reason to get hold of me? I have no phone! I'm aimless in space!
She showed up right on time.
After tuting, I considered my options.
(a) Just call Chaco from the payphone, let him know I'm on my way.
(b) Just go to the dorm, have someone let me in, then go to his suite.
(c) Go home, get the dang phone, text him, and bring the jacket.
(a) was out of the question because I don't actually KNOW anyone's phone number anymore! They're all saved in my PHONE - the phone that was then sitting on the dining table in my house - why should I save them in my brain too?!
Next, I quickly concluded that (b) would be committing Chaco's social homicide. Picture explaining to the other dorm kids that Chaco's mommy was there with his winter jacket. "No, really! I just forgot my phone!"
I decided that (c) it was, only after trying (b minus). I called my phone. Magnum was home. Maybe he'd answer. It would have made more sense to call Magnum, but we got rid of our land line a long time ago, and recall that I don't actually KNOW anyone's phone number anymore!
I eyed the public library payphones. When was the last time I used a payphone?? I couldn't remember. I eyed them some more. Then I looked around at the downtown library patrons. At the time, they appeared to be a collection of bathless and/or flu ridden. I'm sure they were all very nice, my perceptions were just a little off.
Warily, I picked up one of the receivers and dialed my number. It kept ringing. I was pretty sure Magnum was aware of it ringing, but wasn't picking it up because it wasn't his phone. Caller ID would be useless. Voicemail. I got my own voicemail. Such a lonely feeling.
Fine, (c) it was.
I got my phone. Chaco got his jacket. I wrote down "important people" numbers on a piece of paper to stick in my wallet.
Temperatures have been in the 50's ever since. I doubt the jacket has budged since I dropped it off.
.
15 comments:
We've become prisoners of the digital world. How did we manage only 15 years ago?
They're pretty cool, but computers were supposed to make our lives easier, but instead they've made them more complicated.
I've done something similar. I still know my parents' number becasue it's been the same since long before I was even born, but I've made a conscious effort to memorize other important numbers. It's hard to keep them in my memory because I never dial them. Writing them down might be a good idea.
What an age we live in! Imagine just a half a generation ago if you'd have predicted that, in our pockets, we will carry devices able to access nearly all the information mankind has amassed over the course of history! The possibilities would boggle the mind!
And then imagine telling them that most people will use 'em to watch cat videos.
Anyhoo, glad you solved your dilemma....
Makes one wonder where we will be in another 15 years...
I think you're right - that's part of the problem. That we never actually dial the numbers either, the phones even do THAT for us.
You gotta admit, those cats are pretty darned cute!
Remember that I left my phone at your house while we were playing in the mud? I have NOT forgotten it since! Aimless for two days, I was!
I think I would have chosen option C as well, but only after I had all the same thoughts you did. Glad it worked out, and thank goodness his school isn't too far away. Got my fingers crossed that you get cold enough weather now for him to wear it. (Is that ok?)
YES! I remember! It's a wonder we survived!
And yeah, as much as I'm enjoying our misplaced spring, we need more snow.
Funny how we survived without any form of telecommunications outside of the land line at home for years. When cell phones first came out, Mark's employer subsidized the cost of one for employees. We shared our first phones and took them along in the car, but never carried them on our person. Now? Now when I do as you've done and (god forbid) actually left the house without the phone, I have a near anxiety attack.
You did the right thing by avoiding the pay phones. Actually, I was surprised to read here that pay phones actually still existed. The last time I used one, they cost a quarter per call. I doubt that's still true.
I am definitely old. I remember going off to college with enough quarters to call home in case I broke down on the road. I've done the exact same thing - left for work with out either my phone or blackberry. I felt completely out of sync with the rest of the world for the entire day. Not a good feeling.
And I would have offered up option "D". Ask your student if you could borrow her phone to contact either Chaco or Magnum. Long shot but might have saved you a trip back home.
Funny how we rely on our phones to remember the numbers now - most of us don't even know our own numbers any more!
You may have been Lost in Space, but at least you didn't have Dr Smith trying to betray you or that dumb robot shouting "Danger, danger!" and flailing its arms around!
Hello there :D How have you been! I can't believe you'd still even bother going back to my blog, and you'd comment on it too! This 'comment' is not really a comment, but just dropping by to say hi. And you got a snake! Good god what have I been missing out on.
I don't have a mobile phone at all and I cope just fine. :D I don't want to be available 24/7. ;)
I have a cell phone. I don't use it, and it has never rang. If it did, I would look at everyone else and wonder why they weren't answering their phone. Even in an emergency, I'd know no one to call, but it's there....usually with a dead battery.
Now, if I forgot my gun, I'd definitely feel naked.
I think you shoulda taken the jacket to Chaco and called out his name as you walked the halls looking for him. lol
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