Ordeal... Midwife

Back in my army days, we had this good system of using code words. When encountering someone in the wilderness or anywhere, one person would issue a challenge word, and the other person would say the password. If the password was right, the first person who issued the challenge would know this other person was a friendly. Once in Alaska, we had the challenge word of ordeal, and the password of midwife. Its funny how you can remember things. I thought about this today. The reason is because I was in one hell of an ordeal.

I was done with my work at around 10:30 AM. I was already in Nashville so I decided to go driving around looking for interesting things to photograph. I went out to the Tennessee State Prison. This building has been abandoned for years and I heard they filmed the movie "The Green Mile" there. So I was quite pleased that I was able to just drive up and photograph it. Already there were clear signs it was going to be a nice afternoon.

I then decided to go to downtown Nashville to have a look around and investigate the parking situation for further visits because I always hate paying $10 just to park downtown. I found out that there is metered parking but there is a two hour limit and only if you are lucky enough to acquire the spot.

Anyway, I found some free parking on Gay St. I stopped there and walked down to 1st Ave. Took some really excellent pictures that I am currently uploading to my flickr page. I then went to Bicentennial Park and took some more really good photos. You will notice that this is where the day turned to shit.

I reached down and felt that my cell phone was not in its holster. I immediately panicked. I ran back to the car which was parked about a mile away. Out of breath and sweaty from the afternoon heat and humidity I searched frantically in the car only to come up empty handed. I then thought to look for my other cell phone, so that I could call my cell phone and listen for the ring. I check it and it is dead. So I had to drive home.

At home I immediately called my cell phone and it rang and rang and then went to voicemail. I then called Verizon and they enabled "Lost mode" whereby the phone can receive calls but cannot place calls. I then picked up the charger for my old phone and made my way back to retrace my steps. I Went to the Tennessee State Prison and retraced my steps but it was nowhere to be found. I Called the number about once every 3 minutes while driving from there towards 1st Ave. And once I was on Broadway making my way towards 1st Ave. Someone answers my phone.

I say "Hi, I've lost my cell phone and you have apparently found it."

The guy says "Yeah."

so I say back "Well where can I find you?"

He says "Do you work on the Mississippi Queen?"

I say "No, but I was down there taking pictures earlier."

So he tells me that it will be waiting for me at the boat. I am so relieved I am not even the slightest bit mad when an unkempt looking old man with a grey beard and a shirt with the sleeves cut off tells me he is holding the parking spot on Gay St. For his wife who would be there shortly. I drive about a half a mile further down on Gay St. to park the car, and walk down to the boat. There were two guys there who worked security for the Mississippi Queen, one of who I thought was the guy I talked to just moments earlier, grilled me with a series of questions to ensure the phone was actually mine. I answered him and he gave me the phone.

I walked back to the car and was on the phone to Verizon to enable the phone again. I had brought the bill from home that had the Verizon number on it and other information should they have needed such as my account number etc. I was by this point really exhausted, after not having eaten any food all day. I decided it was worth it to go and reward myself with some Panera and upload all my pictures, and publish this story, of loss and anxiety.

So here I am sitting in Panera with food in my belly and my anxiety and fear gone. The phone had just simply slipped out of its holster. Its not as if I am incompetent or anything. Shit happens. In my case, shit happens often.