Butterfingers

I have a tendency to drop small, expensive electronic items.  A lot.  Mostly cell phones.  (I don't think I've dropped the iPod yet, although I can't say the same for my portable hard drive.)

Have you ever known someone who insists on carrying around their old, outdated cell phone because it is "so indestructible"?  And who then proceeds to prove that fact to all their friends by throwing it across a crowded bar, to bounce off a wall and land, unharmed and functional, on the floor?  No?  I can't be the only one who knows someone like this.

Well I should probably carry around one of those phones.  Except, they are not very cool looking.  (Trust me, Friend at the Bar may have had an indestructible phone, but he also looked like a huge goober any time he had to take a call.)


Instead, I opted for the standard Razor.  It was small, and I figured, more compact = less potential for destruction when dropped.

Let me tell you, that phone was a trooper.  After three years and many, many trips to the concrete, IT STILL WORKED.  I say "worked" because two months ago, it finally started showing its age.

At first, the speaker started sounding scratchy.  Then, the battery started running down really quickly.  Then, the phone stopped recognizing its battery all together.  So basically, it only worked if it was physically plugged into a wall outlet.  Which, of course, is counterproductive to the whole "portable telephone" design thing these cell phones are so popular for.

I took it to the store, and they offered to switch out the battery for free.  Sweet!  Except... they couldn't even get it to work when it was plugged in to the wall.  So I took it home and it sat on the desk for several weeks.  I finally decided it was time to retire the phone, so I plugged it in and turned it on, with the intentions of letting everyone know to contact me at my other phone number.  And, of course, the phone was miracuously "cured" and fully functional.  Dunno, I guess it's like when your car starts making a funny noise, only as soon as you get it to the dealership it won't make the noise anymore.  And the mechanic just looks at you like you're crazy.


But, hey, I've got a phone!