Originally published on my blog
When
my husband joined the Army, I never knew I would have a love/hate
relationship with my telephone. During his training, I hated waiting
for it to ring, never knowing if it actually would or not. I wanted
to throw it across the room when I missed the first few times he was
able to call me. But on the rare occasions when I was able to hear
his voice on the other end of the line, it would absolutely make my
day. I remember thinking after he graduated that at least I wouldn't
have to be a slave to my phone any more.
Was
I ever wrong about that. Since he's been with his unit, the
love/hate relationship continues. Whenever he deploys, I find myself
again having to wait anxiously while I will the phone to ring. And
it is instant disappointment when I see a phone number that doesn't
belong to him. I loathe having to take my cell phone with me
everywhere I go, including to the shower. I'm always so happy when
he's home because I no longer have to worry about sitting at the
very back of the church so I can slip out the door if he calls. Or
having to sit in the front of the theater with my phone in my lap so
just in case it does ring, I will see it light up.
Perhaps
the most frustrating thing about phones and the Army is that it
seems like I'm no longer allowed to make outgoing calls. He's in
charge of the communication. I can only sit and wait for it to ring,
never knowing if it actually will. If I want to tell him something,
I have to make notes and be sure I have them with me (along with the
phone) if and when he does call. Since obviously its impossible for
me to just pick up the phone to call him.
Then
the phone call comes and you get to deal with the *pleasure* of the
call being dropped mid-sentence or it sounding like he's in the
middle of a category 5 hurricane. Oh and don't forget the delays.
It's always fun when you're talking over each other because of that.
But regardless, when I answer the phone and hear "hey,
baby", a smile creeps on my face and I'm again in love with my
phone. Now if I can just figure out a way for entire deployments to
go by as fast as phone calls do, I'll be set when the next one rolls
around.
No
matter what though, I always look forward to the day that I can turn
it off, leave it at home and take a shower without my little
"friend". That is true freedom!
