Mother is a tightwad, or careful with her money as she calls it, refusing to get a cell-phone. For my own peace of mind, I put her on my plan. I did get peace of mind in knowing she wasn’t out without a phone, but the cell-phone opened a whole new can of worms. First of all, I tried to convince her it was free, so she’d use it, but she didn’t buy that. When I finally admitted it cost ten dollars a month, no matter how much she used it, that was okay. She insisted she’d accept it only if I let her pay me. I agreed and that’s the last I heard of it. She doesn’t mind owing me forever but has no intention of being a freeloader. I am happy with that compromise.
She also has the habit of locking her keys in the house or car. I added roadside assistance, but she was reluctant to call the service till she realized there was a guy in her neighborhood who got the calls. Now she feels like she’s helping him and gives him all her business. I haven’t had the heart to tell her she is only covered for two calls a year.
She loses her phone a couple of times a week. Most of the time, it’s in a jacket pocket, or under a chair cushion or car seat, but sometimes she’s left it somewhere else. She panics and calls me the second she misses it, since I was foolish enough to provide it. By the time I get the call, she’s ranting at herself for losing it again and has to wear her frustration out before we can get down to the business of finding it. I don’t advise providing the instrument of your torture. Most of the time it’s at my house or in my car. I always try to check her out before we part ways, but sometimes I forget. I added phone insurance just in case, so she’s going to pay for that sometime, too. That’s the only way she’d agree.
Unfortunately, Mother sometimes get random text messages on her phone. She doesn’t text and is hostile to texting, so this is a problem. She’s always convinced one of her children are in danger and are trying to reach her by text this time, though any of us would rather die than deal with texting her. It puts her in a panic till I remind her none of her kids would ever text her. If one of them ever does, she’s going on their plan then and there.
I am still glad Mother has a cell phone, but just in case you wondered, she still has her land line for back up. Cell-phones can’t be trusted. I dread the day when Mother finds out her next phone will have to be a smart phone. She HATES the internet!
It looks like the 21st Century is causing trouble for your mom and you. 😀 — Suzanne
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Believe me, if Mother has trouble, so do I.
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I’m forwarding this to my sister-in-law, I KNOW she’ll be able to relate!
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We all have somebody.
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Right there with you, sister! At least your mother knows how to use her phone. My mother’s voice mail is always full because she doesn’t know how to retrieve the messages. Every person she comes in contact with gives her lessons and she still can’t retrieve them. So, if you ever call my mother, don’t leave a voice mail. I tried to convince her to get a smart phone and now I am wondering, “What was I thinking?”. She now has a go phone and from time to time says something is wrong with it. What’s wrong with it is that she is out of minutes or has forgotten to charge it. I don’t have to remind you of the problems with her having a land line. Oh, the joys of being an adult child.😬
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I’ve learned to hate the phrase,”This stupid phone!”
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OMG you make me laugh so hard because I do to!😂
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Thanks, this made me laugh out loud!
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You’re welcome.
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If i didn’t know your Mom I’d think you were making up all this stuff but ….i do know her and love her. You just make me glad i’m ‘adopted’.
My sister, who is 63, had an old phone which broke. Her daughter dreaded it but all she could get her was a smart phone which true to form her mom fussed about and refused to use for a couple of months. Now she is a whiz at texting but loves the speaker the best. She sits outside and has speaker conversations. The first time i heard it from inside the house i thought she had company but her daughter said it is a constant thing. I am now very careful what i say when i talk to her as there are some things I don’t care to tell the whole neighborhood!
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What about the neighbors who want to hear the juicy stuff. Does everything have to be about you? When she has to get a smart phone, I WILL run away!
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How did you know what she did at Walmart, Linda ?
This story is a wonderfully written one but one which reeks of love and frustration of a daughter for her mother. I am sure your mother must have felt something akin when you were littler and she was at the providing end.
Susie
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My sister ratted her out. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Funny but also not funny. I really hope that I don’t wind up being afraid of or disliking stuff because it’s new.
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It’s good to take advantage of useful tools.
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I had this all in control until you spoke of her talking into the fanny pack. Hysterical. How do you ever keep a straight face ??? ☺ A smart phone seems like a scary prospect.
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Forgot to mention she was in checkout line at Walmart at the time.
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Sure…why not ??? ☺
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My mother doesn’t understand her mobile phone. I made the mistake of giving her an old (and not very smart) smart phone I had outgrown and she can’t work out how to even turn it on or answer a call. We can but try…
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I am glad I am not the only one suffering.
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Love this. Though it sounds a lot like me….
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Uh oh! Do you want to be on my plan?
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Thanks for the laugh. I’ll let you know….
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Enjoyed your post. I don’t have a cellphone and have convinced myself that I never will. My children also try to convince me, but no way. My youngest daughter carries her cellphone in her hand like an extra appendage that she can’t do without. It really bothers me. I’m 62 and love the internet which brought me to blogging. Loved the story about your mom.
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So glad you let me know you enjoyed it.
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I am 64 and love my cell phone. I find the internet and all of the knowledge, entertainment, sharing with friends, and challenges of learning new things to be wonderful and exciting! Great blog post. Made me laugh.
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I am glad you enjoyed.
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Your mother is a hoot. Love her from waayy back. At least she isn’t boring, right? Nor is your life. 😀 😀
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Never have a dull minute!
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That’s what I think… 😀
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Delightful! Thank you.
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LOL. I feel ya on this. Momma hated the cell that we got her. she kept on insisting that we find one with a dial on it.
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Mother did have one of those old bag phones. She never used it once. She kept it locked in the trunk of her car. I guess it would have come in handy if she’d been locked in the trunk, except she never charged it.
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At least your mother seems to know how to use the phone. When my mother-in-law first got her cell phone, someone put in her speed dial numbers for her. She was speed-dialing my husband every 30 seconds or so because she couldn’t figure out how not to do that. It was a nightmare.
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She can make and receive calls. That’s it.
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Do you really have to have a smart phone?
Leslie
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I don’t think you are able to get the simple ones anymore.
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I have one of those simple ones, but it is pretty old.
Leslie
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Surely AARP will bail us out!
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Delightful post by Linda Bethea about cell phones and getting your mother one!
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Love it Linda.. my mother in her late 80s was given a cell phone and it was primed with 1, 2, 3. easy to call numbers for all of us.. She would not use it full stop! Great post as always.
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Thanks. We have a cell-phone drama almost every day.
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Hahaha! My mother has a little pouch she wears around her neck that she puts her cell phone in. Keeps it where she can get to it and also keeps her from losing it (because she would!)
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When Mother first got hers she put it in her fanny pack. When it rang she bent over and was yelling. “Hello! Hello!” It looked like she was talking to her privates.
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Hahahahaha! Oh my gosh, that made me laugh!! What a riot!
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Haha…. it is awesome how you all are challenging each other, but in such a loving way. I love you all!
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