The Cell Phone

So much for sleeping! I was getting comfortable to take a nap on my flight to Dallas Friday morning when the flight attendant said to turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones. I searched frantically through my bag for my cell phone, knowing full well the answer. The phone was sitting in my SUV in the garage at Hobby Airport.

That is such a horrible feeling. I would have used my cell phone at least a dozen times that day. I planned to call my husband as soon as I landed to tell him that I arrived, to call the agency reps I was planning to see, and to check my voice mail and to check into the office.

What is amazing is that thirteen years ago we wouldn't have used our cell phones as much as we do now. We had cell phones, the big bricks, but we didn't have calling plans like we do now that enable us to talk as much as we do. Which leads me to the next question we all ask ourselves periodically. How did we function without cell phones? We just did, didn't we and we knew no better, so we didn't miss them or need them.

I tried to figure out how I would get around making phone calls and I decided I could us the 1-800 number. I would get the secretary to transfer me in to Rey so I wouldn't have to call him long distance. The hilarious part was when I landed and found that 1-800 numbers don't work from pay phones and that the hotel house phones didn't dial 1-800 either because they didn't dial out. I ended up using the phone in the Business Center at the airport and at the hotel my generous friend from La Estrella (Ft Worth) let me borrow her phone.

I pictured my little cell phone, that I've dropped one to too many times, with its broken antenna and tape holding it in place, sitting all alone in my SUV ringing its little heart out. Travelers passing through the garage would pass by and would hear Mana's "Tu Eres Mi Religion" jingle on my phone and they'd peek in and would see it blinking its little light, all lonely and forlorn, in the front passenger seat. I wondered how many calls I'd have when I returned at 8 p.m.