Monday, July 21, 2008

Unintended "Baptism"


I stuck my cell phone in my pocket as I headed out the door for a morning walk a few days ago. When I returned, I ate breakfast, took a shower, and started the laundry and other household chores. A little while later I looked for my cell phone and couldn't find it. Where could it be?

I looked on my desk, in my purse, and in my office with no success. I picked up the household phone and dialed my cell phone. I'll hear it ring, I thought to myself. I didn't hear it ring, so I began to think about where I last had my phone. All I could remember was having it in the pocket of my shorts. Oh, no! Surely I didn't leave it in my pocket! The shorts were currently in the washing machine.

I opened the lid and lifted my wet black shorts up, reached in the right pocket, and sure enough, my fears was confirmed. I had unintentionally baptized my phone with full immersion through the wash cycle, the rinse cycle, and the spin.

I felt horrible. This was more that a blonde moment or a senior moment. How could an overly responsible person, like I normally am, "wash" my phone?

I immediately called Verizon and explained my dilemma to Eric. He said, "Take off the back of the phone and pull the battery out. Then open the phone and let it dry out."

He went on to say that occasionally the phone will still work, often it won't, and if I was fortunate, at least I might get my contacts off the phone.

I did as I was instructed. That night before going to bed, I put the battery back in and attempted to turn it on. To my amazement, the phone came on! Then I called our home phone to see if it really worked. The home phone rang! I was relieved to say the least.

I still may have problems down the road because of my stupid mistake, but for the moment I have a usable cell phone. And by the way, I am not recommending the baptism of cell phones!