Thank God for Dumb Smart Phones

My brother Mike will attest to the fact that I’ve been very critical this week of my “stupid smart phone” (a Galaxy Nexus).  It has given me fits every time I tried to TXT to multiple people at the same time, so I ended up having to copy and paste the same message any time I wanted more than one person to get the same information.  On other occasions it would simply not send the messages, even though I had connection to a network … but would spit them out at random intervals throughout the day, confusing the recipients and causing them to think that “Jeske is either running a couple of kernels short of an ear of corn or else his butt dial is very sophisticated and well developed”.

Well tonight I’m singing the praises of my “stupid smart phone”.  It seems as though when it changes time zones in location that it not only changes the time displayed on the phone but it changes all of my calendar appointments as well.  That’s just dumb!  Consequently, when I checked my flight time yesterday morning it told me that it was at 12:05 pm.  It’s been a few months since I made the reservation so I didn’t think anything about it.  I intended to arrive at SFO about two hours ahead of time and did so this morning.  I went to the self-check-in kiosk and it would not bring my flight up.  The agent assisted me and told me there was no 12:05 flight.  He checked the flight number on my phone calendar and found one at 2:05 pm instead.  I was kicking myself because I thought I had entered it wrong months ago.  He said I’d have to stop at the counter.

The counter agent smiled and said, “Good morning, how can I help you?”

“There is no help for me.” I grumbled

“Well, let me be the judge of that,” she said through a big cheery smile.  After a quick check of the situation she said, “Mr. Jeske, we’re expecting some delays and cancellations this afternoon because of the heavy rains coming in, would you like to fly out earlier?  I can get you on the 11:00 flight to Chicago, it leaves in 40 minutes.”

“Ariana, if I weren’t happily married, I might be inclined to ask you to marry me,” I said.

“If I weren’t happily married, I might be inclined to consider it,” she replied.

“Put me on that flight!”

I didn’t figure out what happened until I landed here in Chicago and noticed that my flight times on my calendar were the correct ones again.  I also received an e-mail message from Expedia that my 2:05 flight had been cancelled due to weather.

Instead of spending the night in SFO, I’m sitting here at ORD, people watching for four hours before my flight to Dubuque … but I’ll take it!  Saved by a stupid smart phone!

Actually, I’m thanking God because behind the scenes I’m confident he was orchestrating the electronics.

I’m ready to go home.  The words of a song have been running through my mind for the last few hours.  I have no idea about the origin of the song or it’s message so please don’t excoriate me if it’s a terrible message by an idiot rock star.  I like the chorus regardless and that’s all I’m thinking about.

There’s been but one true love 

In my Baby’s Arms, in my Baby’s Arms

In my Baby’s Arms, in my Baby’s Arms

My Baby’s Arms, in my Baby’s Arms

I’ll be home soon Schmoo!