By Aubrey Goulding
The unthinkable happened to us today.
The bloodcurdling sound of the alarm clock at 6:30am signaled the beginning of what was to be a long day of car appointment, followed by blood work and doctor’s appointment for my brother-in-law Wayne. We were on a tight schedule, having to be in to the garage by 8:00 am.
I had mentally compiled my list of things to take for our ‘hospital outing’ which included my Winston Churchill Book, iPad, cell phone, bread to take over to Wayne, Carol Ann’s handbag, my camera, and dog food, harness and leash for Zac’s day with Nan.
In the midst of gathering up my take-a-longs, the dog bolted through the door leaving me the task of capturing him in time that we’d still make our appointments. Finally, panting heavily, (and silently ‘almost cursing’ under my breath) I scooped him up, and put him in the car along with all my other ‘essentials’.
In a mad rush, I retreated to the house to help Carol Ann – with her new but not completely healed knee – down over the bridge and out to the waiting car. With tires squealing I dashed ‘around shore’ to pick up Wayne and put off the dog. Looking at my watch, it would be a tight squeeze, but barring moose killing, bear bashing or sirens squealing, I should hit my deadlines.
I settled into a comfortable cruise mode and started to enjoy the beauty of Robert’s Arm Road when Carol Ann, in a very casual manner, turned to Wayne and said, “pass along my cell phone from my hand bag so I can plug ‘er in.”
That’s when all the colour left my body, leaving me with a white ash-like appearance.
“I can’t find it,” Wayne mumbled from the back.
She turned to me to start the interrogation.
“Didn’t you put the phone in the bag?”
“Ah …. ah”
“I told you to put the phone in the bag when we were in the porch”
In my mind’s eye I could clearly see that phone on the laundry hamper where I left it just prior to retrieving the dog. I sheepishly confessed, “I think I left the phone on the laundry hamper.”
What were we going to do? We were lost. We were bare-naked to the world. How would anyone contact us? What will happen if we ever break down on this highway? How will anyone ever find us? A lump came in my throat as I had to man up to the fact this will be a day without the cell and it was mine (and Zac’s!) fault.
I started to think the worst. When we drop off the car, how will the service guys let us know the car is ready? If I go to get coffee at Tim’s while Carol Ann is in the waiting room, and I happen to forget the order – how will I get myself out of that jam? What if her mother wants to call us to let us know that she needs more toilet paper and paper towels at Walmart?
Just before a tear rushed up to my eye, reality set in. I sucked it up and determined I was going to be a man. I was going to figure all this out without a cell phone; and, you know what? I did. Proving once again we can survive by using good old fashion problem solving and determination.
Even if it was Friday the thirteenth, it wasn’t such a bad day after all!
