Cell Phone Debacle

While I am the antithesis of Blanche DuBois as I grow older I realize that I depend more and more on the kindess of strangers.

Case and point: Saturday night (3am Sunday) I left my cell phone in a cab. The last time this happened was 3 years ago when I lived in Midtown and Ditha with Tracey had insisted it could be retrieved and found a way to make it happen as I stood mutely by--paralyzed in my hour of phone distress.

I wouldn't have even realized my phone was lost if the cabbie hadn't dialed the last number I had dialed whilst in his cab. I was comfortably resposing on Jaylin's couch, when my cell phone called him--Nelly's Ride Wit Me began blastin'--and we both looked on mystified. After repeated dial backs, the cabbie was finally attained on my phone. He said he'd drop my phone off at "the deli". Jaylin assumed this to be the 92nd St. Deli. I assumed no such thing. The cab driver had deposited me at 92nd and 1st, why would he assume that the deli on 2nd Ave. would be the best bet? Last count there were a zillion delis in Manhattan, how were we to find THIS deli.

The following day, circa 2pm when we finally crawled out of bed, bleary eyed and lazy Jaylin insisted the 92nd St. Deli--which he frequents for cigarettes and sandwiches--had my phone. I was less convinced. I'm a doubting Thomas to say the least and I balk at altruism. This said, I was hopeful because he exuded confidence in the matter--after all the cabbie had called, he stood nothing to gain by keeping my phone. When we arrived at the deli, no phone was in sight. The day guy called the night guy and NO--my phone was not at the 92nd St. Deli.

Quick as I usually am to give up--ask Ditha or Trace, I live a life of replacement...you won't find me on my hands and knees if there is a possibility of replacing the dropped item--I suggested we check at one of the two deli..s between 91st and 92nd St. on 1st Ave. We hit the jackpot at Blue Moon Deli. The owner interrogated me thus: What is your name? What type of phone do you have? What is your phone number? Who is your service provider?
Once I had passed his line of questioning he said, "I have a T-Mobile phone. You say your phone is Verizon?" I was stunned...after all this, the man didn't even HAVE my phone. BOO.

Well, Jaylin asked and I insisted that we get a look at the phone. Lo and behold, it WAS my phone. The man's eyes had deceived him--it was a verizon LG phone with a Luckey picture on the inside. YAY! Sweet Success!

Jaylin marveled at my persistence. I must say, I marveled at the fact that the cabbie to the deli to me, my phone had made it through the night. Unsure of the etiquette on tipping the guy and since I had a meager $10 in my wallet, I skipped out without giving him a dime, but I will go back to the deli for my purchasing needs, ignoring the 5 deli..s I pass as I walk to this one to repay a debt money can only begin to cover.

The annoying part of losing a phone lacking a SIM card is having to input all those numbers that get lost with it.