My cell phone - My lack of attachment

My cell phone, for the most part, lives in my 6 inch x 4.5 inch x 3 inch thick black leather shoulder bag. It lives there with either my large ring of keys or my 4 inch x 2.25 inch x 1 inch cameras. Yes, I have 2 Sony cameras - the other is a bit smaller. I am not sure my phone is happy. I think it knows that I do not truly love it, care about it, and ignore it until I need it. I am devoted to my cameras. They capture those special moments. My phone is for immediate needs, immediate questions, and immediate fixes. It is not a smart phone; it is a flip tracfone and being a person that prefers voice to voice contact... I do not text. Perhaps that is why it decided to go into hiding Friday night, maybe just to see if I cared.

My cell phone was super useful to communicate with my family as we tried to arrange a time for all to gather at the park for dinner and play time for all of my grandchildren. There were many delays but it worked out and my camera got lots of great photos and even some wonderfully cute movies. The phone lost its spot to the camera and keys ending up in my pocket. It was a rather shallow pocket but worked for those moments when I needed quick access to use it.

The day was drawing to an end, it was time to pack up and get the kids home. I was going to watch two of them overnight and was really happy to get to spend some extra time with them. We had a great time, a wonderful weekend of love and laughs and many more photos. I have a land line so my cell phone is not my principle way of making phone contact.

Sunday came and it was time to put more time on my phone. I had not needed to go shopping so I had not opened my black leather bag until then. When I did I had my keys and that was all I had. No cell phone.

I went from shock to what the #@%* did I do with my phone. I had taken my camera out immediately on getting home. I had absolutely no memory of the phone... I seemed to remember throwing it on the passenger seat of my car... but it was not there when I went to check.

I did use the land line and called my phone. It did not answer me. It was Sunday I began the search. Books flew off of the nightstand, the dust bunnies under beds were inspected, drawers opened and turned inside out, anything with pockets was checked and rechecked.

Nothing.

That Sunday night I could not sleep. I needed to check the park. My cell phone could have jumped ship and fallen from my pocket. Monday I was at the park at 7:30 AM, the morning light was good, the grass was wet, the sprinklers had been on. My poor phone - had it fallen onto the road and become a hit and run victim, was it wet, had it been picked up by a stranger, if I found it would it still work?

I did not find it. Still nothing! The search continued all day and night Monday.

Today, Tuesday, I took my husband's advice and pulled my car into the sunshine. I unloaded every bit of trail mix, every crumpled tissue, every wrinkled receipt, every water bottle cap, and every bit of trash that had hidden under the seats of my car.

As long as I was cleaning out all the crevices I decided to also vacuum it out. And if I was going to vacuum it out, I might as well do a thorough job and move the seats up and really get in there and clean.

I was vacuuming the behind the passenger seat when I noticed a small black bump in the track for the seat. Hmmmm, it did not match the track on the other side. I picked at it and knocked the object out of the track. I could not believe it. It was my phone. I was thrilled. I closed the car doors and ran into the house.

My cell phone was in cardiac arrest but was easily revived with some defibrillation from its power cord. I also immediately got on my computer and added an additional 90 days of life and an extra 60 minutes. It is now evening here. I have a clean car. I have my cell phone. I am happy. I hope my cell phone is happy. It is back in my black shoulder bag next to my keys.

Don't tell anyone but I did give it a little kiss. I did tell it I missed it and I was very happy it was back. And yes, I have checked my black shoulder bag a few times to make sure it is still there. Maybe I will knit or crochet my cell phone a little wrap in hot pink or warning yellow - black fades much too easily into the darkness. 

Maybe I should give it a name... maybe Kitty... you get less weird looks in a park if you are calling, "Here Kitty. Here Kitty, Kitty."