Absent Cell Phone

Being in my later years, most of it transpired without portable devices other than my hospital issued medical pager.  As a resident, its range was essentially only the hospital.  Beyond that, its range was literally Beyond.  And it went off.  Inconvenient times, inconvenient places.  Inside, it would get answered immediately.  Outside or car, it depended on who had been trying to reach me.  The number needed to call back either came audibly or visibly on an alphanumeric screen.  If it seemed like a medical need, depending on how far I was from my destination, I would postpone the return call until I arrived there or if farther away, drive to someplace that likely had a pay phone.  A phone that could call from the car definitely warranted a tax deduction as legitimate professional equipment.  I only needed one to make calls.  The beeper remained the preferred means of somebody trying to reach me.  A few dumb phones, basically used like my home or office phone but with portability, served their intended purpose.  As technology improved, though, having a portable device that could connect me not only to what the telephone used to do but all of cyberspace became irresistible to most people with the means  to get one, so I joined the global community of smartphone users.

Its most essential purpose really has not changed.  My hand-held device goes with me in the car where it becomes a rack-held device, not to return beeps but just in case I am immobilized while driving.  And that rarely happens, but when it does, the phone is my easy way back to normal.  FOMO, no, FOCarBreakdown si.  While devices now do it all, it is only with my current car that I abandoned an independent GPS device, as the one that came with my current car failed too many times.  I have an independent camera, tape recorder, flashlight, measuring devices, laptop, stereo, and a full collection of road maps from when the gas stations, tourist bureaus, and AAA gave them away for free.  The maps of the places I go still have a pouch in the back seat where I can retrieve the one I need within minutes of when I need it.  My car radio has AM/FM.  I still go to the library to get books.  So while apps can replace most of these things, indeed I have downloaded many of these electronic tools, it is really only the device GPS that I use plus the peace of mind that I can contact assistance immediately when needed.  And I can do that safely, as my 2018 sedan projects my cell phone options onto an easily visible dashboard screen.  Technically, I do not need the phone holder, as the dashboard screen will display my phone options even when it is in my pants pocket.

One day last week, instead of putting the smartphone in my pocket or on one of two tables, the desk where I work or the table where I eat, I left it on its overnight resting place, also limited to three.  It could pass away the dark hours in its charger, under my pillow with the sleep tracker recording later how my insomnia fared, or it could just lie idly flat on a shelf behind my bed.  The fewer places an object could be, the less likely it will be misplaced.  This night I left it behind my bed. 

Up at usual time.  Morning routine, dental hygiene, check indoor plants, retrieve newspaper from driveway, make coffee, then take it upstairs for a morning at my laptop until treadmill time.  Often I will first use the cell phone as a timer for my scheduled treadmill session, but this day I used a kitchen timer, pulling it with its magnet off the refrigerator.  Exercise done, timer back on fridge door.  Me back in My Space on laptop.  Needing to do some errands, seek a few minor amusements, and sit on a park bench in the sunshine for a while, I headed to the car, driving off but without my omnipresent device.  I didn't even realize its absence until reaching into my left pants pocket, it's usual place of transport, finding it not there.  I didn't need it, but might have listened to an audiobook borrowed from our library's Hoopla Service on the way home.  Pretty reliable car, not likely to break down.  Drive safely, not likely to have a collision and if I did somebody from the other car could call the police.  Just drove home.  When I got there I confirmed that my smartphone had remained in its customary overnight resting place behind my bed.  I made a decision to leave it there until bedtime, then charge overnight if necessary, but not use it or even have it with me until the next day.  If I wanted to drive someplace else without it, I would, and without its GPS capability.  No phone until the next day.  No apps until the next day.  If I fell down the stairs or had chest pain at home, I could either hobble to a landline or my wife would eventually find me.  It just stayed there.  And with no adverse consequences of not having it.

As a practical matter, the downside of portability is losing the device, which I'm sure happens a lot.  Lost & Founds likely have drawers or bins of these cell phones.  People insure their devices from loss or theft.  But in the hours to days of absence, there is an inevitable FOMO or parallel dread of not being to replace what was on the SIM Card or mini-SD Card.  I knew where my phone was the entire time, forgoing its figurative attachment to me voluntarily.  It brought me peace to not have it, yet know where it was.  Not knowing where it was would have generated a very different inner response.