(insert cell phone blog tale from Saturday here. eventually. thanks to the family for the plan)

I was innocently watching the game at T/Ds two weeks ago when the topic of cell phones came up. Ok, if you do NOT know. I am anti-cell phone. Never wanted to have one, find them annoying, although admittedly useful sometimes. I have been finding myself making too many 50cent phone calls…and since the incident at work, and my new junker vehicle. Well, I have been thinking about it.

Pre-paid? That is the safe cell phone. The *I’m serious about not liking cell phones but I NEED and SHOULD have a cell phone* cell phone. But those are kinda pricy, no?

So Lil responsible brother chimes in *ring ring* with”you could join our family plan for I think $9.99 per month” (the heavens open, the possibilities await! OH GOD!) Seriously. Financially speaking this is the golden ticket. I thought about forgoing the land line for a cell, but I lose my keys, glasses, wallet etc…at least 2 times a day. My phone? Uhhhhh. Yeah. No. So that was never a real option. Paying $40 more for another phone? No. I would rather get caller-ID and all the fun features back on my phone…but pre-paid? $100 investment for nothing?

Hmmm. I get a call on Saturday from T/D telling me they are stopping by the mall later than night to pick up a case of wine (no, not wine-os really, a group wedding gift) WOULD I LIKE TO GO WITH THEM TO PICK OUT A PHONE? Eeek. Nervous. I don’t know…it’s all happening so fast! I have chicken in the oven…ok.

I meet them at the mall and browse through the options at the Cingular booth. Scary squashed person in windshield symbol aside, I decide to check out the options. “This one will be free.” “These will be $29.99” I don’t know! THEY ARE ALL SO TINY! Itsy bitsy little phones, how do you talk into them? I see one that is just like D’s and decide on that one…enter salesperson with a very understanding friendly demeanor (and no wedding ring) My brother explains I am the Commodore 64 of cellphone users. Go easy. Needless to say, the gentleman tries to talk me into the ugly phone.

Not the teeeeeny tiny one.
Not the cheap looking one.
Not the curvy girly looking Dayna phone.
But the ugly one.

I do not like the fancy lyrical buttons. Silly looking. Stick with classic.

But the nice man is persistent. He tells me for the same price, it is a much better phone, latest technology, colored picture….yada yada yada…(Colored screen? Why?) And although I am sure the nice man was having a dandy old time with us and all the silly questions, I tell him ok. The ugly phone is mine. All mine ha ha ha ha ha…same price, better phone. Hey, why not! Free Steak is Free Steak right!

(Free Steak = The simple economic notion that in this period of time of unprecedented growth-…um, free steak is always free steak. Meaning if you are getting the breakfast special and it costs $3.99 early bird for eggs-toast-hashbrowns and steak…BUT YOU DONT REALLY WANT THE STEAK. You get the steak anyhow because eggs-toast-hashbrowns on the regular menu, without steak is $3.99. What a bargain!)

So I have a phone. The best part though is the phone number, which I shall not share over the internet for fear of well, some unknown fear.

Does no one else out there try to spell out their phone number?
555-TANK
555-1342
555-AVON

The possibilities are endless.