Fake Phone, Real Love
FAKE PHONE, REAL LOVE – October 15, 2023 – Fremont, California, USA
As more NFL games ended, Devon grew more frustrated. His fantasy football team was supposed to easily win the week’s matchup, but things were not going to plan. His best running back pulled a hamstring. His wide receivers practically disappeared. His quarterback kept throwing interceptions. Devon yelled at his phone after scrolling through the latest stats.
Devon’s girlfriend, Taylor, sat next to him on his TV room couch. She hated when he got so upset on weekends, but she knew better than to say he was getting worked up over something unimportant. Instead, she said, “Everyone has a bad week sometimes. You never know what’s going to happen. That’s why they play the games.”
Devon nodded and muttered, “Yeah, yeah.” Then his quarterback threw another interception. “Now there’s no way I can win!” Devon shouted. He threw his phone. It bounced off a wall and fell hard onto the wood floor.
Taylor made a face like she was strapping into a scary roller coaster. Devon dropped his head and pounded his fist into a couch cushion, realizing his tantrum might be very expensive. He shuffled over to the phone, fearing the worst. He picked it up and discovered the screen was cracked and flickering.
“It’s totally ruined. I’m such an idiot. This is gonna cost me a ton of time and money.”
“I’m sorry,” Taylor was quick to say in return.
“Maybe I should turn off football for a while.”
“We could go for a walk and get some fresh air. It’s nice outside.”
Devon sighed and dropped back onto the couch.
“How about we watch one of the movies you always say we should save for later.”
“I don’t care,” Devon replied morosely.
Taylor let him pout for a few more minutes before turning on a romantic comedy and snuggling close. Devon stayed still for exactly thirteen minutes before sliding off the couch to retrieve the broken phone he left on the floor. He returned to the couch and attempted to read the screen.
“Let me see your phone. I need to check something,” Devon said to Taylor.
“Aren’t you watching the movie?”
“Yeah, I just need to check something real fast.”
Taylor sighed and handed him her phone. “Only if it’s real fast.”
Devon quickly swiped Taylor’s screen and then held her working phone and his broken phone in each of his hands.
“You okay? Looks like you’re having withdrawals or something.”
“I’m fine.”
“I wish you needed me around the same way you need a phone,” Taylor said in a teasing voice.
Devon did not appreciate the little jab. “You shouldn’t joke around like that. I couldn’t give you up, but I could give up a phone if I had to.”
“You sure?”
The couple had been through enough silly arguments to know they were on the verge of another one. Rather than let it escalate, Devon dropped both phones on the coffee table in front of the couch. Taylor did not question if he remained more interested in the phones or her movie.
Devon arrived at a phone store first thing the next morning to find out what could be done about his screen. As he feared, the entire phone had to be replaced and he spent most of the morning upgrading and transferring data. He ended up paying dearly for his angry toss but tried to put a positive spin on the outcome. He explained to Taylor that he was almost due for a change and his new model was faster and used a better battery.
Taylor acted impressed and said, “Give me a couple of days and I’ll have a surprise for you.”
“What is it? Tell me now.”
“You need to work on being surprised.”
Taylor’s surprise turned out to be a fake phone that perfectly mimicked Devon’s new model, including the case.
Devon laughed as he compared the fake and real phones. “Wow, weight and buttons are exactly the same.”
“Next time you want to throw something, throw the fake one. It won’t cost you as much.”
Devon smirked and said, “Yeah, yeah. Very funny. I just hope I don’t get them confused and take the fake one on a trip or something. Can you imagine being stuck somewhere with no phone?”
“I’m sure you’d survive.”
“I don’t know. I might not.”
Early the next week, Devon was scheduled for one of the many out-of-town service calls he made as an electron microscope technician. The high precision microscopes needed regular cleaning and calibration and Devon trained for years to be able to disassemble and reassemble the parts. Most of the remote jobs were one day affairs, flying out in the late afternoon and back the next evening. Taylor stopped by Devon’s house to say goodbye before his upcoming trip to Seattle. While his trips were short and frequent, she still liked to show she would miss him.
While Devon was in the bathroom for a final pitstop before departure, Taylor spotted his real and fake phones. The real one sat next to his backpack and tool case on the kitchen table. The fake one was on the TV room coffee table. In an instant, Taylor giggled at the thought of Devon leaving with the fake phone. Before she could think it through, she hurried to the coffee table and then back to the kitchen, placing the fake phone next to the backpack. Taylor giggled for a few more seconds before shoving the real phone into the backpack pocket where Devon would often keep it. After his initial panic over discovering the fake phone, he would surely search his backpack and find the real one.
Devon emerged from the bathroom, kissed Taylor, and grabbed his stuff on the kitchen table. She followed him to his car, suppressing more giggles. After watching him drive off, the phone switch seemed less funny. What if Devon’s initial panic turned to unforgiving anger? What if he did not think to look for his real phone? She did not want to risk it. She dialed his number hoping he would hear his phone ringing in his backpack. No answer. Taylor kept calling but eventually assumed the real phone’s ringer was off. She thought of racing to the airport to explain in person, but decided she had little chance of finding Devon before he disappeared behind the security checkpoint. All she could do was hope he searched his backpack.
Devon first discovered the fake phone while walking into the airport. He pressed the fake buttons and shook it, but it did not come to life. “This is the fake! How did I grab this one? Oh, I’m such an idiot!” He stopped walking and swore under his breath for twenty seconds. He dropped the fake phone to the ground and stomped on it. The plastic and glass remained undamaged.
Devon’s mind raced over his next move. Should he cancel the trip? What would his boss say if his reason was carrying a fake phone? Did he absolutely need his real phone? That was where his electronic ticket was stored, but if he hurried, he could print out a paper one. Devon changed directions and raced toward passenger ticketing.
With a little jogging, Devon made it through security and to his gate holding a paper ticket. He got on the plane feeling a little stupid and isolated. When he arrived in Seattle, he could not send Taylor a text saying he arrived safely. Instead of requesting on Uber with his phone, he took an old-fashioned taxi to his hotel.
Sitting alone in his hotel room made Devon feel even more isolated. He opened and closed the window blinds and checked if anyone was in the hallway. He turned on the TV and clicked through the channels. Then he tossed the remote, dropped onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Why did he feel so weird and anxious? Maybe Taylor was kind of right about his phone addiction. Funny thing was, he mostly wanted to connect with her. She must be wondering about him and why he had not called or texted.
Before he reached for the remote to turn the TV back on, Devon saw a pen and pad of paper sitting on a writing desk next to the bed. He moved to the desk, picked up the pen, and did something he had not done in a long time – put words on paper. He addressed Taylor and told her how he loved and missed her. He made lists of her best qualities and places they should go together. The more he wrote, the more his handwriting improved. Before he knew it, he used all the paper from the pad. He folded the pages and slipped them into his backpack.
The next day, Devon walked to the building which housed the electron microscope. The service routine went seamlessly and he had plenty of time to make his return flight. When he drove home from the airport, Taylor was there waiting for him. She did not know what to expect. He had obviously not found the real phone and she planned several different kinds of apologies depending on his mood. If she explained things the right way, he would surely see the humor in it.
Before Taylor had the chance to say anything, Devon raced from his car and embraced her. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. You’re never going to believe this. I grabbed the fake phone and took it with me.”
“What? How did that happen?”
“I’m not sure. But I’ve got a surprise for you. Let’s go inside.”
Once in the house, Devon excitedly pulled the written pages from his backpack. “I had some time, so I decided to write you. It’s kind of like a long love note. I wanted you to know you mean more to me than my phone.”
Taylor read through the first words and had to sit down. She wiped her eyes and said, “Okay, I don’t mean to cry. This is so sweet.”
Devon let her keep reading, feeling very pleased with himself. When she flipped a few more pages, he said, “You can probably read the rest later.”
“Okay. You want to grab some dinner?”
“Sure. I should probably find my phone first.”
Taylor kept her eyes from drifting to his backpack. There was no way she could ruin the touching moments they just shared by trying to explain her little prank. “You probably left it in your bedroom,” Taylor suggested.
“You’re probably right,” Devon replied and disappeared into his bedroom.
Taylor quickly unzipped the backpack pocket where the phone lay undisturbed. She pulled it out and set it on the counter closest to the refrigerator. Before Devon returned, Taylor let out a sincere sounding shriek and yelled, “Wait, I think I see it!”
Devon shook his head in relief when he picked up the phone. “How did it get over here? I’ll never understand how I mixed them up.”
Taylor shrugged and said brightly, “It doesn’t matter. See, you proved you didn’t need it.” She held up the love notes. “You did much better than just survive.”
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