Never did I think I would be that girl.
The one who sleeps with her phone, and holds it close to her heart – it’s literally tucked in the left side of my bra. When it dings? I answer.
It’s Siri’s fault.
She’s my personal iPhone assistant. With the push of a button, she answers all of my questions, maps my location and could tell me how many grocery stores are nearby. Recently, I almost lost her and like a mad woman nearly lost my mind. I’ll explain later.
Each morning, I greet her: How are you doing today?
“I am well, Josie.”
What are my plans for the day?
“OK, Josie. I found five appointments for the day.”
(She’ll list them.)
We weren’t always the best of friends – and at times I get upset with her. Last week, for instance, she drove me nuts. The beeps, dings and marimba ringer wouldn’t stop. So I shut my phone off.
Monday’s sun rose; and I powered my phone on.
After checking voice mails, emails, Facebook and Twitter messages, I asked Siri to set my agenda. She ignored my command. So I asked her again. No result. Hmph.
During a brunch meeting at Panera, I took notes on my iPhone. Once my meal arrived, I shoved the phone inside a coat pocket. After the meeting, I tossed my trash and headed for the door. I reached for my phone but the side pocket was empty.
I checked my coat pockets again. Nothing.
Oh, no! Did it fall? I retraced my footsteps and checked the restaurant booth. Nothing.
Gasp! Did I? …I couldn’t have. Did it fall in the trash?
I poked my head inside the trash can. Oh, goodness. It smelled. No. I can’t dig through that.
I asked an employee if anyone had turned in a phone. Nothing.
A man offered to call it, but the phone was on silent.
“You’re not going to dig inside that trash are you?” he asked.
By now, people were staring. The lunch crowd was just as thick as the broccoli cheddar soup that sloshed around in the trash can. I had no other choice. I pulled the trash bag up and moved a few plastic cups.
A manager raced over to my side.
“Can I help you? I heard you lost your phone, and you think it might have fallen in the trash.”
She took the trash to a back room and sifted through it with a pair of gloves. No phone.
I started mentally preparing how I could last three or four business days without her (or however long it was going to take until a new iPhone arrived.)
Why did I shut her off? Why did I ignore her all weekend?
“It happens,” said a middle-aged woman dressed in business attire.
Excuse me?
“I once lost my wedding ring,” she explained. “I thought it dropped in a KFC trash can. By the time I returned to the restaurant they had already compiled all of the trash. So I had to go through all of the trash and chicken bones without any help. It was disgusting.”
Did you find it?
“I had a hair appointment earlier that day,” she said. “It fell off while I was washing my hands in the salon’s restroom.”
Sometimes retracing your steps just won’t do, she added. You have to relax and it’ll appear.
I plopped down in the driver’s seat of my Jeep. Sighed and buckled my safety belt. As I adjusted the belt, I felt something resting on my chest. It was my phone tucked inside a coat pocket.
Lesson learned. Well done, Siri. Well done.
Have you lost a phone or wedding ring that appeared later? Share your lost and found stories in the comments section below.
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