I forgot my phone.
I’m sitting in the auto repair shop entrance where I’m waiting for my car’s oil change, and I forgot to bring my smart phone along.
My smart phone. Hah!
If it’s so smart, why didn’t it warn me I was leaving the house without it? Would it have been such a big deal for it to say,
“Hey Monica, forgetting something?”
No can do. Not that smartie-pants phone. So it’s on me, and I can’t help but wonder: Why do I seem to always forget my phone–my lifeline and my raison d’être? Seriously, I even write Post-it notes and stick them on the garage door, that say,
DON’T FORGET YOUR PHONE!
Guess I forgot to read it. Maybe I need to add another Post-it note to my door that says:
Don’t forget to read the note that says don’t forget your phone!
I could tie a string around my finger but knowing me I’d forget why I have a string around my finger and assume it’s to remind me to buy a loaf of bread from the store, though heaven knows I have no business buying bread from any store. Two words: Carb City.
Fresh, crusty French bread lathered in butter, or warm Parkhouse rolls, oozing in butter. Deliriously delicious! Toasted sesame or everything bagels–and have you tried the new-fangled pretzel bagel? OMG, they’re through the roof!
But I digress.
No phone. Might as well have no air to breathe. I mean, what if my daughter is trying to call me to tell me some very important news? What if my hair salon is calling to remind me of my eyebrow waxing appointment and I miss it altogether? Will I be doomed to have bushy eyebrows forever?
I’m just going to rummage one more time through my purse and the gazillion things I carry in it with the hopes of finding that darn phone–
Dash it all. No dice.
I don’t have my phone, for crying out loud. And I’m sitting in this auto repair shop staring at an empty water cooler, with no idea when my car will be ready.
So I’m stuck here. Without a clue and without a phone.
And not a drop of drinking water in that water cooler, to boot! Thirsty anyone? Too bad!
I could take a walk around the block while I’m waiting but without my phone, I won’t be able to get a call from the mechanic notifying me that my car is ready.
When did I become so dependent on my phone? When did it become my crutch?? And how on earth did I ever survive pre-smart phone??
Without my phone I can’t listen to music. I can’t read up on the news or check the stock market. I’m unable to see my news feed on Facebook. Forget Snapchat and Instagram. And who knows what’s trending on Twitter? There’s no perusing my e-reader today either, for that matter. Sigh.
Checking email, the movie listings or calling a lifeline is not going to happen. Texting anyone is out of the question! I can’t even take a photo or video of the adorable Scottie that just sauntered into the auto shop (with what appears to be its equally handsome owner).
Ack! I’m so out of it. Might as well be waiting for my car on the moon! Maybe I should cut short my getting my car serviced so I can go home and rescue my phone from its loneliness without me. My phone needs me!
On the other hand, what if Henry and Oliver are taking advantage of the situation and using my cell phone to make crank calls–or worse, robot calls for Donald Trump? What if they’re spending my hard-earned cash downloading apps like Pet Shop and Candy Crush?
Or, what if Henry is using my phone to call the Queen of England? After all, he’s been hoping to get a presence with Her Highness with the hopes of taking his rightful place at the throne.
![FullSizeRender[1]](https://monicastangledweb.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/fullsizerender11.jpg?w=560)
When questioned as to whether they had been fooling around with my smart phone, these two pleaded the Fifth. But their furtive glances said it all. Guilty!
Now, how about you, dear reader? Have you ever left your phone behind and how did you manage?
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Incidentally, it will behoove you to know that I will soon be returning to Brazil for another round of training educators on teaching science to young kids. So, I may or may not be posting again before I go, as I have tons to do to get ready. But that’s okay. Until I return, feel free to talk amongst yourselves!
Happy Trails and wish me luck! (Something tells me I’m going to need it.)
Monica's Tangled Web 
Panic immediately ensues…truly. My remedy, I turn myself around and go back for it, even if I’m late for work, an appointment, whatever. And there’s no pressing reason for this, no life-or-death situation where I’m the sole advisor for a nuclear plant or someone’s health advocate. It’s just that comforting knowledge that it is right there…with me…a life line…(maybe I need a twelve step program for telephone addiction. Yikes!)
Yes, a lifeline and an addiction. And yet, I can believe how many times I leave it behind. Though just today I managed to check for it BEFORE pulling out of my garage. Good thing, too. I’d left it charging in the house!
Isn’t your phone connected to your car when you get in? You know Bluetooth? So if your phone isn’t in the car with you, your car should say ‘no phone connected’. My car immediately tells me I don’t have my phone with me, before I ever leave the driveway. That is how I know I left my stupid phone in the house.
I do it all too often.
I am excited for you! Another trip to Brazil. Another opportunity to teach and learn. How fun.
Val, I park in my garage and when I turn on the car it shows that my phone is connected–whether or not it’s in the car. It’s usually after I’m on the freeway that I notice it’s no longer connected and that’s when I realize it’s at home, usually on the kitchen counter. Sigh.
Oh no, that is bad.
Monica, I left my phone at home the other day, it was before a school run and raining. I was desperate, bereft and just plain old mad that not even Siri – known to be smarter than a true smartie- called out to me. I was lamenting all the way to school and hoping I didn’t stall, as I watched other drivers around me, giving all those who got too close the stink eye. I had two kids in my car.. I wanted to read the BBC news and tap into what was happening in the world as I sit in the car listening to the girls chat. I couldn’t listen to music either. Although, I had my book, I always keep one in the car. Can you imagine, no phone, no book. That would be the end.
Wait a minute, did you say pretzel bagel? oh my, I need to find it. Although I’m mostly gluten free, you cannot keep me away from a warm bagel. Sigh.
Aha! little Oliver and Henry look awfully innocent. I do hope it wasn’t a robot call to Donald Trump. The Queen, well, I do understand Henry’s need to talk to Her Majesty. Glad Robert has the number.
I am so pleased you’re off to Brazil. How wonderful it is to hear what you’re doing. I can’t wait for you to write about it and post photos. I will miss you.
MM, if there’s an Einstein Bagels near you, stop by and get yourself a pretzel bagel. You will never look at life the same way again. They are amazing!! Sure, you can put your favorite spreads on it. But I never do. I eat them plain. Warm from the oven and plain. OMG.
I too have left my phone at home a few times already, and what you described is real, and I often amuse myself when I leave my phone at home, and catch myself stressing about it, and reminded myself that once upon a time, life got on quite well without a phone. So why stress? Stops me stressing for no good reason in my tracks!
I’m always flabbergasted that I lived in a time when we didn’t have cell phones. I actually remember once having to meet someone at a bus station in Manhattan and something happened which made me TWO HOURS LATE!! There was no way to communicate this to the person waiting for me and I spent those two hours in quite a panic, wondering if they’d wait, despite my lateness. (And I’m normally NEVER late) It was a very stressful day, indeed and looking back, having a cell phone on hand would’ve made all the difference.
Monica, this is a hoot! Yes, I’ve inadvertently left my smart phone behind, and the anguish you’ve described is REAL!! Waiting is much better with one’s phone — after all, how many garage places have reading material worth reading?!?
I love the guilty looks on Oliver and Henry’s faces! Makes me think they’ve been up to no good for sure. Better find a way to duct-tape that phone to yourself before you find all sorts of odd downloads, texts from strangers, and the like!
The funny thing is, Debbie, I’d been sitting in the auto shop for 30 minutes, relaxed and reading a magazine, when suddenly I noticed my phone missing. It freaked me out and set me panic mode, so that I could no longer concentrate on the magazine, as I was stressing about not having access to my phone. For crying out well.
I also want my phone to recognize when I’m looking to try and find where I set it down last and help me out!
I agree, Lisa. With all the sounds it’s capable of, you’d think it would beep or whistle when we can’t find it! That’s not too much to ask, is it? 😉
We are prisioners of or phones Monica, thats why they are called CELL PHONES!!!
Sad I know but I take mine everywhere, I even have a fleece with a pocket inside big enough for my iPad mini. If I receive a text or email the wife has been known to comment that I ding more than a chiming clock!! On a serious note though I do think they are the cause of many youngsters these days not having the ability to communicate face to face.
You can’t beat fresh baked bread, the smell and the taste, the wife and I bake bread here when the mood takes us, better than anything in the shop.
Excellent on Brazil, you realise of course that your fan club on here of which I am Hon Sec of the UK branch will expect pictures!!!!! I am sure you have a great time.
By the way a message for young Oliver and not so young Henry. If you fancy ringing the Queen then the phone number of Buckingham Palace is 00 44 207 930 4832 but don’t do call collect the UK is trying to save money at the moment.
Actually, Robert, I’ve been known to bake a loaf of bread now and then. Used to do it more often, but now I do it around the holidays. Venezuela, the country my family is from, has a special bread they eat during the holidays, filled with ham, olives and raisins. When I bake it, my kids gobble it up, so I ended up baking two loaves this year. It was very good, if I say so myself. 🙂
And yes, if you play your cards right, I’ll likely share a few of my pictures from Sao Paolo, Recife and Manaus. Stay tuned!
Henry is thrilled you’ve shared the number for Buckingham Palace. You’ve made his day! (But not mine. Sigh)