Mixed blessings

Recently, i got locked out from my own sim card. It was actually a consequence of my own 'evil' doing. Had a rough day that time at work and the last thing you would ever need is a phone that cant be reached from the outside world.

I was supposed to skate and then attend a bbq with a group of friends that evening(It was something pre arranged weeks ago). I guessed that the skating portion of the evening was called off due to bad weather, but i just thought i had to reach them to explain that i needed time to settle my sim card first before going to meet them for the bbq.

Heavy headed and drained, I drove in the persistent drizzle towards Parkway Parade shopping ( the nearest Hello! shop ) to get my sim card treated right after work. Believe me, the feeling of not being contactable was scary and dumb.

It didnt take much effort to navigate to the singtel shop in a seemingly empty PP shopping centre( in fact its a wonderful time to take a walk there. Not much human traffic then ).Right after the ordeal in hello! shop, i tried to make some contact by looking around for a public phone. Till today, i still cant forget the overwhelming sensation of assurance when i saw the PUBLIC PHONEBOOTH sign.

But what i saw beneath the sign wasnt that welcoming - it was a card phone booth.

I looked at the coin in my hand and this thought of having a phone card suddenly felt alientating. Where on earth do they sell phone cards these days?! Do they even sell it in the first place? Feeling lost and frustrated( plus fatigue from work ), i tried to convince myself that maybe i should have just gone home and sleep my woes away instead of dragging myself to meet my friends with a new sim card that wont work until half a day later.

It was at that very moment that i pondered over how i could survived on coins and card phones back in my early teen years. Appointments could still pull through ; somehow people back then could honour timings and locations to meet.

IF only my phone worked....I could have easily text-ed my friend and conveniently made my way home instead of wondering how or what to do in ECP before the bbq. No strings attached. Everything could be solved with an sms.

In the end, i still made my way to ECP. True enough, my skater friend was still in ecp waiting for me to turn up. The restlessness in his eyes( from waiting for me for 30min ) suddenly morphed into a smile of relief .

I felt better too. Something in me felt glad that i didnt "fly my friends the kite".