Monday, June 11, 2007

Are You Attached to Your Phone Number???


I must be. For months I've said I was going to drop my landline and use only a cell phone like so many people are doing. But when push came to shove I grabbed at the chance to keep both by combining both phones into one service. I couldn't do it. Couldn't give up the phone number I've had for years. The one that's listed in my church directory, in everyone's address book, next to my name on countless forms I've filled out over the years.

A while back I read a column by Mary Schmich in the Chicago Tribune about phone number attachment. You can read it for yourself by clicking on her name. In summary she details her withdrawal from a phone number she'd had for years brought about by signing up with a new company that for some reason wouldn't let her transfer the number. I laughed at the time, but now I totally understand what she was feeling.

So I called the new company...not really new because they also have my cell phone since they recently became the new old company. I asked them to switch my landline back to what I used to have with their company, You see, I can't sign up for the combo deal until the landline is assigned first. It was supposed to happen seamlessly. They'd contact the company I currently have (had) and switch the number to my new hook up and there wouldn't be any lapse. But, already what is now my former company disconnected me. You don't suppose they were a little put out do ya? And my new (previously former) company has yet to hook me up to their system. So now here I sit with my cell phone being my only phone. Ironic isn't it? This is what I said I would do and couldn't do it, but for now it is what it is.

How about you? Are you attached to that phone number of yours? Has it become part of who you are? Or is it just a bunch of numbers to be used then tossed away like yesterday's garbage?

How much you want to bet I'll be picking up that telephone every few minutes to see if there's a dial tone yet. How much does it really matter? In a world filled with concerns about Iraq, global warming, the 2008 election and a cure for cancer, not much. But I still say
I want my number!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had my lan line for 12 years and had no problem having it disconnected. This was all after months of billing problems after the new phone company took over. I was having eronious (sp?) charges to my account and being told that I was lying to them. That was the 'straw that broke the camels back' for me.
Everyone in my family calls me on my cell phone anyway....It has been disconnected for 4 months now and I haven't missed it at all...