new phone

this is a beautifully complicated story.

my iphone was stolen.

yesterday.

from work.

and it probably wasn't a fellow employee that did it.

you see,

people in the bistro have told me countless times

"don't leave your phone laying around."

the homeless people/the drugged people/ the crazy people/ the dishonest people

they all frequent the gateway quarter

and they all like to wander in the TOB doors.

"don't leave your phone laying around,"

everyone says

so i don't

but i do :(

and i don't have pockets in soo many of my clothes

so sometimes, down my phone goes, and then, up again, it goes, back into my hands.

not yesterday though

woop!

it was down,

and then

BAM

it was gone.

i knew it right away too

i just knew

PHONE? gone.

PHONE? not where i thought it was.

and so i called it.

no answer.

busy signal.

called again.

busy signal.

dill called it.

no answer

we texted it.

nothing.

i didn't worry about it.

it's a phone!

no big deal.

i've gone without a phone before.

and it was getting glitchy anyway,

shorting out, taking a long time

small glitches i'd ignored because replacing an iphone is not an inexpensive task.

and today,

again,

on my day off, 

good thing,

i went back to the bistro and checked around for it.

no phone.

days off are a weird thing for me.

i'm either so exhausted i can't get out of bed

or i wander around aimlessly wondering what to do before i go back to work the next day.

so i went to church.

and before church,

dill and i went to findlay market, and he bought spices, and we got vietnamese pho, and i rummaged around in my bag and found the three dollars and change i've had for two weeks--literally, the only money i have.

i wanted a coffee. or a latte. or maybe a piece of cake.

but i didn't buy any, and we had a lovely lunch, and dill went to work, and i went to church.

st. mary's on 13th is gorgeous.

big, cathedral-y

the kind of church that you don't have to pay attention in, just listen.

i did.

i prayed, i listened, and when mass was over, 

i headed out the back and saw the votive candles by the door.

$2 says the sign,

and i reach into my bag and pull out my three and change and toss them in the cash collector.

"please, lord,"

(i pray,)

"watch over philip today. may his day be filled with strength, peace, and a good sense of humor,"

and out the door i go.

i hop in my car,

drive to the AT&T store,

and walk in.

i'm unkempt.

a red jersey dress, red sequined heart, and gray keds.

long, wild hair.

dreading what iphone expenses are to come.

i know i can't afford a new phone.

in fact, i know it'll probably be another two months before i get something in my hands.

it's just that kind of money existence for me right now.

but In, i go, to do the responsible thing, and at least see what my options are.

turns out 

i'm in luck.

the AT&T guy, Mike, is fantastic, and he knows and loves my bistro.

turns out, AT&T is having a sale on the exact iphone i have, the iphone 4 for .99 cents.

.99 cents!! i laugh!! .99 cents!!

here i was, all morning, thinking of buying coffee or cake or a latte,

and instead, INSTEAD,

i'm charging an iphone 4 to my credit card for .99 cents.

i die.

i rejoice.

i bless my stars and thank the heavens.

every little glitch worked itself out.

lucky me!