The Dreaded White Screen

A couple of days ago, I lifted my phone to view the time.  (My phone is a simple flip phone that displays time, date and alerts in a small window.)

Instead of seeing the expected time, I saw the dreaded white screen.

I quickly flipped my phone open to see if the inside screen was white as well.

Whew…it was not.

When I closed the phone I noticed the outer window now contained the time and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Perhaps it was only a simple glitch….

Instead of a glitch, it was a harbinger of change…a death knell…a warning that my phone was on its last leg.

I’d seen the white screen before. A previous phone of mine had succumbed to it and so had Daughter’s.

Sister-in-love had passed her old phone on to me last year when she upgraded.  Not one in love with change, I had put off transferring my account to her phone.  I was a whiz at texting on the number pad and had no desire to retrain my thumbs to QUERTY.

Why change when there’s no true need, you know?

Apparently, my motto is “why change when you can deny the need” because that’s what I did.  I denied that my phone was dying.

Oh, I dug Sister-in-love’s phone out of the drawer and charged its battery (just in case).  I even gave it a look-see (on the front it has a number pad and inside a QUERTY) just to familiarize myself with it and become more comfortable with the idea of…

…CHANGE…

…just in case.

For three days, my phone sent up the white flag.  Sometimes just the outside screen, sometimes both screens.  But, always, it went away.

Until yesterday morning.

As I had the phone open on my desk, I noticed the screen began to blur and then went completely white. I quickly closed the phone and opened it again.

Nothing I did would bring the screen back to life.  I could still place and receive calls – I just couldn’t text and if I received a text, I couldn’t read it.  And…the only people I could call were those I had memorized the phone numbers of.

I had become dependent on my phone…far more so than I realized.

I asked Hubby, “What did people do before cell phones?”

Hubby had patiently watched my reactions to my phone’s declining state.  He had even asked if I wanted him to take both phones and have my service switched over before my phone died.

No.  I didn’t want to change until it was absolutely necessary…until I was forced to.

(You’re not that way, are you?  I hope not.)

Well, yesterday morning I was forced to change.  My work depends on three things: computer, internet access and cell phone.  My interaction with and connection to family and friends is dependent upon…yep, my cell phone.

Hubby patiently watched my early morning melt down.

Already a few minutes late leaving for the office, he asked “Do you want me to take your phones and get your account changed over? Or, would you like an upgrade to a different phone?”

I didn’t want an upgrade and I didn’t want another phone. I wanted MY phone.  I was comfortable with it.  It fit my needs perfectly.  I was quick on it – my hands were accustomed to it.  It was as though it was a part of me.

MY phone was no longer an option. Change was forced upon me. I handed both phones to him and hoped my contacts would not be lost.

Long story short is this – Hero Hubby saved the day for me.

He notified the office that he would be late and then headed across town.  I talked with Hubby on our house phone as he drove.  I’d forgotten how confining it is to be tethered to a corded phone.  I could do nothing but sit at his desk and…talk!

I expected to spend the day without a phone and resigned myself to being disconnected.

Hubby surprised me – he dropped by the house before going back to the office.  In his hand was Sister-in-love’s phone.  My account had been transferred.  Hubby had saved the day!

My hero!

It took me an hour to figure out what to do with the phone and how to get things set up the way I needed it for my various activities with it.  Thankfully, it’s NOT a smartphone, but it can do some pretty smart things.

I made the change and after using it yesterday and this morning, I’m finding myself more comfortable with the change.

And, more in love with my super Hubby – my hero.

Thank you, Hubby, for being wonderful you!