Bye Bye BlackBerry

On Friday, my brand new white BlackBerry Curve, only two weeks old, was stolen from the family changing room at the Awatukee YMCA (I know, I couldn’t believe it either – home of the perpetually rich and plastic). I don’t know what sucks more the fact I only had my new phone two weeks or could have prevented it from happening by taping it to my body (or putting a lock on the locker). Or maybe it sucks more I really wanted a white blackberry and in order to get one we had to buy the monthly data service for $25 a month and extend the contract another two years. So now I have a longer contract costing more money per month and no phone. To top it off I did not buy the insurance. The question is do I buy another phone for $232 ($132 more than I just paid), just use my old one or cancel the contract for $200 and sign up with a new company and get the phone for free?

Of course keeping the old phone brings me back to square one, having my old black Blackberry, but paying more money per month with a longer contract. Perhaps its karma. I didn’t really need a new phone since my old one worked just fine – I just wanted a white one. Getting the white one entailed many phone calls to T-Mobile arguing about why I had to buy the data service for the new BB when I have a BB currently with no data service. Apparently this is a new LAW with all mobile companies in an effort to recoup their financial losses – they require all smartphones to have the expensive monthly data service. Fortunately, when I presented T-mobile with my choices of canceling my contract for $200 or buying new phone for $232 they came through with a great offer of $157 for new phone (of course with contract extension). Now if that doesn’t create feelings of loyalty I don’t know what will!

What I don’t have anymore are feelings of trust. I bought a padlock and now I take it with me to the YMCA or leave my phone in the car. However, in Arizona that requires carrying some type of cooling device to keep expensive electronics from melting. I put my phone in a Ziplock bag inside a little ice chest which I used to keep my son’s car seat cool when we are not in the car and it has worked out great. And just in case the woman who stole my phone is reading this:  I am watching and waiting for you.  In conclusion, the moral of this story is trust no one – especially those rich people at the Awatukee YMCA.