Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Bye bye flip phone...

I have never thought twice about the coolness of cell phones. Truthfully, they are not a status symbol to me. Never have been, never will be. I didn't mind when Kourtni and Lindsay got my upgrade 2 years ago. Didn't mind when Bill and Alyssa got cool new phones WITH data plans last Christmas. Nope. It was just me and old blue - old "flipper"!


I never thought twice about my status as a flip phone holder. Never even thought I was uncool when I answered my phone by unfolding it. I didn't even realize what I was missing when everyone around me was surfing the internet, reading the news in class, checking Facebook at church, or, heaven forbid, reading their scriptures on those little gadgets.

Never thought twice about it until I pulled out my phone in a class I took with several teachers from my school.

Me: Pulling out my phone to check for a lone text that one of my children didn't send me.
PE teacher: Aghast - YOU have a flip phone?
Me: Yeah, I do. I use it to text and call my kids and husband.
PE teacher: Aghast - I didn't know anyone had flip phones anymore.
Me: Well, I do, and I love it!
PE teacher: Still aghast and speechless.

It was a great relationship with old "flipper". We got along well, I learned to text at lightening speed, and I could talk on that thing for hours without getting too many neck cramps. I really liked him. (Not sure if the phone was a girl or not...)

I dropped old "flipper" in the parking lot a couple of weeks ago. I had done it plenty of times before so I didn't give it much thought as I bent over to pick up the three pieces that had fallen off after skidding across the blacktop. As I put the pieces together, a feeling of dread came across me. There was no life in my phone. Just a white screen. A barren white screen. No familiar picture that told me if I had texts or messages! Crap. Crap, crap, crap. A trip to the T-mobile store was in order.

Fast forward to the next day. I was weak. I needed a phone and needed one pronto. I was prepared to pay $0 in the store and get myself another good old flipper. Imagine my horror when the sales guy told me that the 6 flip phones he carried were going to be obsolete in a couple of months. WHY would I NOT want a SMART phone??? Peer pressure crept over me. Panic struck at my core. I was totally missing out on something I really didn't care about - I know cuz the sales guy told me. Pressure, fatigue, desperation, and weakness set in.
I caved.
I tested.
I listened with tired ears.
I pondered.
I purchased.
I didn't spend $0.
Nope. Add about $130 to that number.

What's a girl to do? Most of MY parts are becoming obsolete; I don't want my phone to become obsolete as well!

Long story short, I am now the owner of a SMART phone that makes me feel very UN-SMART. In fact it makes me feel rather stupid. I miss my old phone. I miss the ease at which I could operate it. I miss the cute little envelope that told me I had texts, or a message. I miss old "flipper".

May he (or she) rest in pieces...


5 comments:

alyssa said...

haha you baby. :)
be happy and welcome to the future!!

The Lymans said...

Hilarious!! Poor flipper.

jo said...

I am so sorry to hear this...I miss my flip phone every.single.time I have to unlock the keypad....grrrr ;)

When We Dance said...

i love this post...i think many people feel the way like you do...
hi-tech somehow doesn't always suit with everyone

Aly G said...

So funny!! Poor little flipper though. I think he was the last of his kind to die?!;) You crack me up!! You know you could write books!? Seriously.