How...Old...Is It?
Thu., March 23, 09:40 AM
I was sidetracked to remember the old game show, “Match Game.” Gene Rayburn would start to read a question: “It was so cold in the igloo…” And the audience would interrupt, “How…cold…was it?” And Gene would say, “Well, I’ll tell ya. It was so cold in the igloo that Nanook the Eskimo froze his (blank).” Then the players would fill in the blank. Love that show! It’s still available on the Game Show Network.
But this particular entry was sparked by considering my cell phone. Not to mention yet another opinion poll about cell phones just this morning.
I always thought the general idea of mobile phones was great. When my kids were teenagers, I had this fantasy that I could control the phone so much better if it were in my car instead of in my house when I wasn’t there. But those things were far outside of my budget. So I waited.
I finally got myself a nice little cell phone five or six years ago. It is digital, and I’m quite satisfied with it. Nevertheless, I have recently been reminded that my cell phone is really old. So, how…old…is it?
My cell phone is so old that all it does is make and receive calls. It does not text message, it has no camera, it has no games, it doens't send me sports scores, it doesn’t connect with the internet. Just a telephone, not a toy.
My cell phone is so old that I can’t buy accessories for it. Hands-free earpieces or fancy covers don’t fit this model.
My cell phone is so old that I have been advised by the insurance carrier that they will no longer insure this phone. Why? Because the manufacturer is no longer providing replacement parts. That’s old.
That’s the way I am, y’know. Why would I spend money to upgrade as long as the old phone works? I will drive my old car until I can’t see well enough to drive at all. Heck, if I were to dispose of everything just because it’s old, I might have dumped Husband long ago. Heh.
On Monday morning, I woke up Husband to take his meds. “You have to go to work today?” “No.” Confusion on his face: “what day is today?” “Monday.” “How come you’re not going?” “I retired. I’m not going any more.”
He kind of adjusted to that, and asked “How come?” “I’m old; I don’t want to work any more.” And I added, “No more sneaking around just because you think I won’t know. I’ll be here.” No comment. He’s got to think this out. It was thirty-six hours before he asked me about finances – would I be drawing social security?
See, I’ve been drawing social security for three years; that plus what I take from my IRA gives me almost as much as social security gives him. But I’ve been the finance “expert” around here since he’s known me – even before we were married – and I’ve never let him down. And I haven’t retired from that.
