“Naked on I-64″

My job requires me to go the Frankfort once a month.  When almost halfway there I felt in my purse and realized my phone wasn’t there.  I felt again. I touched my wallet, my Ipod, my business card holder, my digital camera – but no phone.  OH NO! I immediately felt naked! It was as if all the clothes on my body had been removed at once and the world was looking at my vulnerable body.  What was I going to do? I had traveled too far to turn around.

I was blessed (?) to have a cell phone provided by my work that does it all.  My Motorola Q has a phone, text messaging, internet and email all in one.  With just the punch of a button, the world is at my fingertips – except for today.  I felt as if I were removed from society.  What if missed that one important phone call?  What if I got stranded on the expressway?  Just what if?  I continued driving and finally accepted the fact that there was nothing I could do.  I realized how connected (literally) I had become to the phone and understood all of communications could be put on hold for several hours.  I thought this was a good experience for me after all.

I turned on to my exit about 20 minutes later and in the distance heard a faint noise.  I started to think I was temporarily going insane.  I heard it again.  It was the ringer on my phone.  Am I hallucinating?  There in the crease of the passenger seat sat my phone.  My life’s problems had been solved.  Although only inconvenienced for 20 short minutes, I realized how dependent I had come with my phone, which was pretty scary.

My phone and I have come to the decision that we will take some space from each other.  Nothing permanent, just enough time to create our own identities and find a way to co-exist in a healthy relationship!

M.Y. October 2007