So you’ve heard the lame line how Blackberry’s are actually crack-berries. It’s absolutely true. Blackberries are addictive. Sure, the iPhone might be the gadget of the moment, but I’m still hooked on my Blackberry.
I have to admit that when I check my Blackberry and there’s no new email I let out a little mental sigh. Despite the fact that new email usually means more work for me, there’s just something about getting a new email that is exciting (unless of course it’s a really bad one that causes me tons of worry and panic, not to mention a load of extra work).
The other day I almost paid for my devotion to my Blackberry with a jail sentence. And this story is absolutely true.
I had a day off work and was busily running errands around town. Eventually, I hit the mall. I grabbed a snack, did some quick shopping and yes, checked my Blackberry repeatedly. I was running out of time at the mall because I had to pick up my kids when nature called. I headed for the rest room. Walking a little quicker as only the burning need to pee can make you, I checked my Blackberry and sure enough there were several new messages.
I hurried to the men’s room and all the while sorted through the various emails. I caught sight of the men’s room sign out of the corner of my eye and headed in still checking emails and typing out responses.
When I got into the men’s room, it had been remodeled. There were no urinals, but the stalls were larger. Frankly, I thought it was a good change. I jumped into a stall and finally put my Blackberry away. I took care of business (#1 if you must know).
I was about to open the stall door when what through the crack in the door should appear? A woman. A woman had just come out of one of the other stalls. Hmmm…. This was curious. Clearly, I thought, I must have gone into the “family” bathroom. Then, I realized I hadn’t seen any families in the rest room or evidence of any baby changing tables.
It hit me. Through no fault of my Blackberry, I’d let my obsession with my Blackberry distract from realizing that I’d accidentally walked into and urinated in the woman’s room. Oh my god! I’m going to jail!
This all went through my mind in about 2.75 seconds. At the end of those almost 3 full seconds (which were the longest of my life), the woman had finished washing her hands and left the woman’s room. I was still in the stall and knew I had to make a break for it.
And so I did. Despite feeling very awkward not washing my hands before exiting a bathroom, I hightailed it out of woman’s room as quickly as possible, dirty hands and all. Let’s say I might have broken a few land speed records along the way. All the while, I prayed that no one (especially mall security) would see me running out of the lady’s room. Fortunately for me and everyone else who could have potentially been involved in this sorry episode, no other women were in the women’s room. As far as I could tell no one had seen me walk in or out of the women’s room. Someone or something was looking out for me that day. Maybe god has a Blackberry too.
I was starting to feel better when I thought about mall security again. Surely, they must have cameras everywhere. Oh my god, they must have seen me come out or go into the women’s room. More long seconds crawled by as I expected to be approached and swarmed by mall security at any moment. I’ve seen too many episodes of 24.
This had all been a mistake. I knew that, but would mall security. Then, I thought of my Blackberry, I had sent out emails as I walked into the woman’s room. Clearly, I could prove I’d been distracted and security would have to let me go. My Blackberry would be my salvation after all!
I kept walking briskly toward the nearest mall exit wondering when I would be tackled. I’m not sure what happened next, cause I realized I hadn’t checked my Blackberry in a while and next thing I knew I was unlocking my car door. Happily, it was the right car door!
Reflecting back, I think I learned a few things during my brush with jail time.
First, Blackberry’s are wonderful devices but I really have to make sure I don’t let it distract me during key moments like finding a men’s room. Second, women’s rooms are a lot more spacious and plusher than men’s rooms. What’s up with that? And finally, mall security ought to be tightened. I walked in accidentally and am glad I wasn’t confronted by security, but on the other hand, shouldn’t they be keeping a better eye on things?? Maybe they need Blackberrys…
3 Comments
June 21, 2008 at 2:49 am
Hey, it’s a good thing nobody saw you. Anyway, it can happen to anybody so no problem!
June 21, 2008 at 10:17 am
[...] read an interesting article on BlackBerry. It just goes to show how smartphones can be [...]
June 21, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I think I learned a lesson and can laugh about it now. No harm, no foul as they say in sports!
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