My phone survived a swim in the washing machine

I was running late this morning and in a hurry to start the boy’s laundry. The laundry was started and I began to make breakfast. There was a phone call that I had to make. That’s when I realized I didn’t know where my phone was. The memory of where it last was seen set in. It was in the basket with the boy’s dirty clothes. Panic set in and I raced to the washing machine. I opened the lid and plunged my hand into the soapy water.

My first cell phone was bought in 2000. In the past nineteen years, I have owned five phones. The newest, brightest phone with all the latest gadgets never impressed me. I had always purchased the cheapest phone. In fact, a couple of times I got the free phone. I have had the same cell phone company since my first phone and I have always had the cheapest plan. I take care of my phones and my phones have always served their purpose. To be functional.

Then in 2014, I went in to replace my phone and I somehow got talked into buying the new iPhone. Yes, I would buy it outright. No, I do not want the protection plan. Yes, I will take the expensive case. Then came the day a couple of years ago where having a landline no longer made sense. The only people who called my home phone were telemarketers and why should I pay thirty dollars a month to be annoyed multiple times a day? Still, I did not need the protection plan.

Last November (2018), I hit the button to upgrade the phone and the phone died. Completely. The man at the repair shop apologized but there was nothing he could do. I walked into my phone company’s store and asked how much an iPhone 8 would cost. “What?!? Fine, how much a month is the payment plan?” “I don’t want to spend that much. Can you get me an iPhone 7?” “I don’t care about the iPhone XR.” Somehow though, the XR was cheaper per month than the iPhone 8 because I’m considered a valued customer. Nineteen years of loyalty will do that for you. Plus, I needed my phone so I couldn’t wait for the couple of days it would take the store to get a 7 in stock. “No, I don’t need the protection plan. I take care of my phones.”

Those words were the ones haunting me as I pulled my phone out of the washing machine. I tapped the screen and nothing. Then I hit the screen and it turned on. My phone was on! I removed the industrial strength Otter phone case and my phone was somehow dry. I made the phone call I needed to make. The speaker didn’t work quite as well as normal. After a shouting conversation, I set my phone down and let the speaker completely dry to see if that would fix the issue. The speaker is now dry and it works just fine. The expensive Otter phone case is worth it’s weight in gold.

Now, accidentally washing my phone with the dirty clothes was probably bound to happen. I’m surprised my phone-taking-care-of streak lasted as long as it did. This may not have been an important story but I did promise to write about more than my mental illness as a New Year’s resolution. You’re welcome.