Look What I Brought You, Honey!

Guess what my husband brought me yesterday? (No, thankfully, not a puppy.)

I noticed an extra module on Rob's "utility belt" next to his phone and digital pager. "What's that?" I asked. Foolish me.

With the proud grin of a cat who has just dragged in a mouse, he presents me with my very own cellular (no, make that digital) phone. (I don't know what the difference is, I just know there is one.)

Just what I've always wanted--an electronic leash. Now I confess that there have been occasions when it would have been nice to have one, but I wasn't all that ready for one just yet.

He started talking fast. As he explained it, he was just in the phone store to get the battery on his fixed, "…and, well, these were on sale, and I could add the service to mine for just $15 a month more and, well, the phone number is just one off of mine, look see… and the long distance service is really cheap, and…and…"

Okay, I admit it's a cute little thing: about 3 1/2 inches by 2 inches and less than an inch thick. I suppose I'll learn to use all of its bells and whistles: phone book, redial, voice mail, etc.

Last night when Rob went to fill the car and get it washed, I tried it out for the first time from the bath. When he answered on his mobile phone, he knocked out his battery, losing my call. Assuming it was me, he called back immediately on the house phone. Of course I had to hurry out of the bathroom dripping wet, running through the house to answer it, colliding with a chair in the dark. Ouch! First fiasco down.

I took the phone out of the bathroom and left it on the kitchen counter, then got interested in the e-mail in the den. A few minutes later, he calls me. This time not on the house line which rings at the desk. No, this time on the new phone which I have to run to the kitchen to get. Hurriedly I pick it up and press the talk button. "Hello, hello." It keeps ringing. I pull down the microphone. "Hello, hello." Dial tone. I didn't make it in my allotted three rings and the digital printout mocks, "Call missed." Yeah right, as if I didn't know that. Second fiasco down. I'm really loving this thing.

Rob got home and sat for half an hour playing with it, excitedly programming in his office number, mobile number, pager number, voice-to-text number and our home number. Since it's only big enough for one to see, what could I do but read a book. (No, not the manual.)

Having put in his phone numbers and plugged it into the wall to charge, he left the new toy to go do something else, leaving me a mess to clean up of all the packaging, manuals, warranty cards, etc. strung across the living room-- well, it was my phone, after all.

Men! ¨

10505 Plumewood Dr.

Austin, TX 78750

USA

Phone: 512-775-3891

Fax: 425-930-4222

Email: julie.bou@bear-in-mind.com