CELL PHONE DILEMMA

Written by Sharry Kennedy

It was just another busy day for me at the office. I had my cell phone on the desk next to me in case my husband called and needed to speak with me. I glanced up at the clock and realized I was late for my typing class, so I grabbed my books and quickly headed down the hall. As I picked up the books, I remember hearing a sound like something falling off the desk into the trash, but I thought it was probably just my phone and I felt I could get it when I got back from class.

What I didn’t know was that the girl cleaning the offices would come while I was gone and empty the trash for the day. When I got back, my cell phone was nowhere to be seen. In my mind I could hear that noise from before, of “something” falling off the desk and into the trash. My heart sank into my stomach. I was now sure it had to have been my cell phone that had made that "sploosh" sound in the trash can, and I knew I had a dilemma on my hands. I had thrown my cell phone away and now, how was I going to get it back?

My only choice was to try and retrieve it from the trash which was already in the dumpster, with the rest of the trash bags from the building. How was I (a very middle aged woman) going to get into the dumpster gracefully to look through the trash bags? I could see the headlines now..."Baptist church secretary seen scrounging for food in the church's big green dumpster!" What a rumor that would be! Being the resourceful secretary that I am, I pulled my Blazer (car) up to the side of the dumpster and stood on the running board. This allowed me to be high enough so that I could lean over into the dumpster to look through the bags.

What was going through my mind at this time you ask? I had reasoned that school was out for the day so I knew none of the teachers would be by to see me. However, my thoughts at that time were... ”What if Pastor or Bro. Coe came by the office and they saw me like this... standing on the running board of my vehicle, leaning over into the dumpster!" I was very thankful that not one person happened by the church at that time. Blessing upon blessing...I was able to find the garbage bag from my office and retrieve my cell phone out of the garbage. Lesson learned by me? I now keep my cell phone safely in my purse where it cannot be misplaced again. But...now I have another dilemma... the whole world now knows my well kept secret!