August 15, 2005

Ring Ring

So I'll be looking for a new cell phone today. It should be compact, color display, bluetooth enabled, preferably the kind that flips open, maybe it could have a camera, sturdy and, oh yeah, waterproof.

Over the weekend with Shirley out in Amagansett, I managed to run into the ocean with my cell phone in my pocket. Salt water. Yeah. I remembered to take my keys out of my pocket, for crissakes. Keys! Who cares if they get wet? I remembered the keys but I forgot about my cell. The realization slowly took shape as we came back from the water and sat back down on the towel. Oh wait, where's my.. ? Did I just...? Oh shit. Indeed. What a stupid thing to do. And for a minute I thought, well, I didn't really go in the water, just sort of stood at the edge while the waves came in. Sure some of the waves came up to my waist at times, but it wasn't like I was swimming around... submerged. I peered expectantly into the display screen, but all I saw was my own reflection and I didn't look hopeful.

Shirley looked over my shoulder.

"Try the power button."

I pushed down on the keypad and we could hear the grit and sand grinding under the keys.

"Ew."

Who was I kidding? The phone was deep within the pocket of my shorts - always in close proximity to the water- and when a wave came in, I'm sure it just steeped for awhile in the briny, sandy water that collected in my pocket.

I have always been pretty good to my electronic devices. Sure, I drowned a PDA in root beer once, but that wasn't my fault. The can was mysteriously punctured somehow and apparently Timbuk2 messenger bags are just as proficient at keeping root beer in and they are from keeping water out. Nevertheless, my record should speak for itself. Yes, I just hosed my phone and effectively shut down my only means of communication, but it wasn't the norm. I was having a really good time with Shirley - enjoying the beach and the water and that's all that really mattered. We would laugh about this later. Actually, Shirley already was.