The Charger Interlude

As soon as it happened I was distraught. I had heard of these things happening to other people but I never thought it would happen to me. I am very careful about remembering where all my electronic things are but as luck would have it, I left my phone charger at the hostel I had recently stayed at. At this point I began the first of the five stages of grief. I first went through denial. I hadn't left it. I just wrapped it into my other cords. I mean they are all white, they all look the same. Unfortunately this was not so. I was pacing nervously in my new hostel room, anxious of what a future without a phone charger would mean.  Is there life after cell phone?

As I walked a path into the floor of the hostel pondering these implications I began the second stage: Anger and guilt. If only I had been more careful, then my phone wouldn't be so lonely. I felt guilty for the lose of connection my phone would feel, I felt guilty for the inconvenience I had bestowed upon myself, and most of all, I felt anger. I was angry at myself, I was angry at fate, and I became angry at Apple for making the chargers so dang expensive. But then the next stage hit and I found myself bargaining with God. If he just brought my charger back, then I would be a better person. If my charger miraculously appeared upon my bedside, then I would travel the world proclaiming the good news that miracles still happen. Alas, I was faced with the reality that it just wasn't coming back. I had moved to the next stage.

When reality sets in, often so does depression, and loneliness. I was depressed. This small device that had brought so much joy and ease to my life lay lifeless on my bed. My pocket was empty without my phone there by my side. I began to finally accept that it wasn't going to come back. That I really needed to buckle down and buy another charger. Things had gotten too far out of hand. I had to constantly ask what time it was, I didn't have my back up camera with me, and most of all, I couldn't meaninglessly stab at the screen hoping to be entertained for a few seconds. After I had accepted that this loss was final I was finally ready to move on. 

There was an Apple store here in Zagreb and the man was very helpful. He asked if I wanted a two meter long charger or one. A pang of sadness hit. Nothing could replace the old one. But a one meter cable would do the trick. Besides it was half the price of the two meter. That's not happening. Handel's Hallelujah Chorus rang in my ears as I walked on clouds out of the store. Or maybe it was just that ubiquitous white glow that's in all Apple stores. Either way it has an effect that makes one feel great whenever around them. I was finally able to charge my phone again. And as I plugged the USB plug into my computer this evening, the all familiar two vibrate sound rang in my ears and the half eaten white apple appeared on my screen. I guess I would have to wait and see if there really was life after cell phone.