The Dating Scene: September 2008

I'm not exactly what you'd call a technology freak. To give you an idea of how just how out of step I am with the rest of the world, I still have the same 13" color TV that I got as a gift when I moved out of my parent's house 23 years ago, and it's still my only TV. Since I don't have cable, I get a total of three channels on a good day and that's plenty for me.

As far as the Internet goes, yes, I have it, but I'm still using dial-up. Why? Why not? It's slower than molasses, but it does the job and that's good enough to cover my basic needs.

Which brings me to my cell phone. I can't remember the last time I got a new one. Let it suffice to say, mine looks something like a metallic blue brick. And it's just about as useful as one, too.

So today, after putting it off for as many years as I possibly could, I wandered into a wireless phone store determined to come out with a low budget pay as you go plan AND bite the bullet and get a more up-to-date phone. (Because I have to tell ya, there's nothing more embarrassing than squeezing my little handbag too tight under my arm which in turn pushes the key pad on my phone and inevitably ends up dialing someone I really, really don't want to speak to. 'Nough said.)

Salesman #1 was an idiot. When I admitted that I was totally clueless about cell phones, then asked him what would best suit my simple requirements, he waved his hand toward the vast wall of technology in front of us and said: "Any one of those.", and promptly walked away.

[Oooo, hey thanks, genius.]

Salesman #2 was infinitely more helpful and came running up from the back of the store after glaring at Salesman #1. He seemed to know a lot more about the phones, but more importantly, he was willing to SHARE that knowledge with me and patiently answered all my questions. As it turns out, he was the Assistant Store Manager. [Ah ha!]

Unfortunately, I ran out of time before I could make up my mind, so I had to toddle off to my appointment, however, I was determined to come back afterwards and make my final decision. [This story is a lot longer than I thought it would be, but stay with me. I'm getting there.]

True to my intentions, I did show up later that afternoon, ready and willing to walk out of there with a shiny new phone that weighed less than ten pounds and had a flip top cover. Salesman #3 (more specifically saleswoman] was the one who closed the deal. Not only did she know a boatload about the phones and the myriad of different plans available, but she knew specific details about all of their unique features -- even more than the Assistant Store Manager knew. I explained that all I really needed was a phone that could take pictures since when I'm out and about, it would be far easier to snap a quick pic than to make written notes and sketch details on paper.

And that's exactly what I got. But it's super slim, it's digital instead of analog, has a large color screen instead of a small, monotone green one, and OHMYGOD! you can take videos with sound, check e-mail and REPLY to them on the spot, do Google searches, listen to music, watch news clips, even enter appointments with alarms! And all this for a silly low price which included the phone, a car charger, TWO portable travel chargers (I didn't want a case) and this neat wireless headset!!! Plus a rebate for another $70 off of all of that!!!

For the rest of the afternoon and well into this evening, I was as giddy as a 3-year-old with a case of chocolate bars. I won't tell you how many photos or videos I took, or how many times I logged in and checked my e-mail or the weather forecast. Even just PUSHING THE BUTTONS was fun. The keypad on my old phone was so stiff that you practically had to break your fingers to get it to dial. Unless, of course, it was in my handbag, and then it would dial whoever and whenever it wanted to with very little assistance from me.

So needless to say, yet again, I'm a happy camper.

Oh, and on a final note, since everything else was going bye-bye, I figured I'd do myself a favor and ditch my old number, too. It's just onemore great way to make sure that what now lives in the past STAYS in the past.

Hallelujah for cheap thrills!
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