Blackberry vs. Q-Tips

A year or so ago I was sitting around chatting with my family. It was a reunion of sorts, though only about half the family was there. The subject of cell phones came up and we compared notes for a minute or two about who used which phone and why. My sister Stephanie mentioned she was in the market for a new phone and had a few questions. Phones came out of pockets and purses and a sort of informal demonstration began. This went on for five minutes or so before Megan our youngest sister said, “Tell everyone why you need a new phone Stephanie.”

The two are practically neighbors, living a couple of blocks apart and from what I gather spend most days together in some fashion or other. Apparently Megan was “in the vicinity” when the phone was lost. “I dropped it in the toilet,” Stephanie said. “OK? And before that I ran it through the washing machine. But that time it dried out and still worked. Unfortunately the toilet wasn’t as forgiving.”

“Was there anything else in the toilet? Graham asked.”

“No. I was just leaning over it to get a Q-Tip and it fell out of my pocket.” I wasn’t sure I believed her and asked if Megan was in the bathroom with her when it happened.

They insisted in unison they weren’t that close.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Fred Meyer picking up a couple of yogurts for lunch and stopped off in the restroom. Theirs is located at the end of a long winding hallway with doors lining both sides marked ‘Employees Only’ in thick black lettering. As I rounded the last corner I nearly bumped into a tall woman dressed in heels and a light grey business suit and skirt. Her hair was pulled back tight and she wore a look on her face that suggested she wasn’t one to be messed with. I quickly stepped aside and noticed the wad of paper towels she was using to dry off her blackberry cell phone.

It seems Stephanie isn’t the only one “reaching for Q-Tips.”