Carol and I spent yesterday at the Sprint store in the Loehman’s shopping mall (it used to be THE place to shop for the good things we think we need and want).  I was unhappy with the choice of a phone that replaced my Treo 700, that had a slide out keyboard.  I thought I would have a phone that would replace the 700 but would be smaller and easier to use.  It certainly was slimmer and smaller but I never could find out how to use it.  Actually, since I no longer am an officer of our building’s Association, I use the phone less and less.  The old argument that we buy these things is to have a way to contact authorities in case of emergencies. Actually, it certainly is a good way for Carol and me to tell each other about where we are when we are out and all by ourselves.

So, I told our representative At Sprint, David, that I was unhappy with a phone that I did not know how to use and the keyboard was superfluous.  It just so happened that he had a small clamshell phone (with most of the desired features including a camera that I really didn’t need or want).  Carol liked its looks and those very same amenities that her “old” phone did not have.

Now, David explained all the features to Carol who immediately and intuitively knew exactly what he was saying (I am incapable of this) and she thought that it would be neat and appropriate for her to trade in her “old” phone for a new one exactly like the one she prescribed for me.  Hers would be blue and mine black.

David also knew how to save us money.  And, we would still own our old phones, get an additional line and come out spending very little.  But, now we have a land line with three extra phones (kitchen, living room, my office and the bedroom).  That makes four phones.  These new ones were cell phones which upped their number to four; for each of us now had an old phone and a new one – all together eight telephones for two people in one apartment.  We also have a set of walkie talkies that I have never been able to ser up properly - these were bought specifically for Carol and me to be able to reach each other aboard ship when cruising.  It never happened.

I remember when we had only one telephone per family and that was usually located in the kitchen.  Who could possibly need any more?  Well, I guess everybody in the world near a cell tower could; and to witness the masses holding up a phone to their ears while walking or driving explains that having such a number of phones is convenient if not necessary or even affordable.  David showed us how we could keep our old phones as backups and not have our phone bill increase at all.  Not so bad at all, yes?