Cell Phone Adventure

Some weeks ago, my cell phone quit working. Nothing came up on the screen in response to the buttons being pushed and it wouldn't charge. After checking everything I knew how to check, and reading up on the subject in the User Guides, I went online. Found nothing that helped. So I researched new batteries and ordered one.

It took a couple weeks to arrive, during which I decided it really wasn't at all crucial that I even have a cell phone. Still, in the case of a dire emergency, it would be good to have. I have a deep fear and dread of being stranded in my car somewhere in the middle of the night, and that's why I got a cell phone in the first place.

When the battery finally arrived, I went back to the user guide to make sure I inserted it correctly. But nothing happened. No lights, no sound, nothing. Well, of course it needed to be charged first! Duh. So I plugged it into my charger... and again, nothing except the tiniest beep. An all-night charge accomplished nothing.

Mike tried the new (charged?) battery in his phone to see if it was a bad one to start with. Not only did the new battery not work, when he put in his old one, it didn't work anymore either! Sheeesh.

Fortunately, a trip to Sam's was scheduled, and Mike took both phones and all three batteries to the Sam's cell phone lady. She removed the battery doors, blew lightly on the contacts inside the phones, inserted the batteries one after another, and everything worked like a charm. Go figure. We were defeated by a teeny, tiny, invisible speck of dust.

Another lesson learned. Exaggerated problems only get worse. Keep it simple, stupid.