Mr. No Cell Phone

"Hey can I borrow your phone?"

When I make it on the 3:05 on Fridays, it is filled with high school kids...and this one guy...who apparently doesn't have a cell phone.

A few weeks ago, I watch Mr. No Cell Phone ask a guy if he can borrow his phone. The guy, very generously let's him borrow the phone. For the next several minutes, Mr. No Cell Phone struggles to figure out how to make it work. The guy tries to help him punch in the numbers and this goes on for awhile. Just when you think that the numbers are all punched and he can make his phone call, he has to ask the guy again to help him with it. I was watching this wondering how it was taking so long just to punch in the numbers for the call.

Eventually Mr. No Cell Phone figured it out (not on his own of course) and the call went through. Or so it seemed. The next several minutes were spent with Mr. No Cell Phone yelling "HELLO!? HELLO!?........HELLLLLO!?" Eventually he took the phone from his ear and looked at it. Then the owner of the phone patiently continued to help him. When the numbers were possibly punched again, "HELLLO!?........HELLLLLLO?!" After a few more minutes of this, he finally gave up and gave the phone back. Holy crap.

This past Friday, I notice that I accidentally sat across from Mr. No Cell Phone. I was playing Words With Friends and watched him ask the high school girl next to him if he could use her phone. She said the battery was almost dead so no. He then tapped on the leg of another high school boy but he said it was only an iPod - not a phone.

I could sense the panic rising in Mr. No Cell Phone. At this point, like a huge jerk, I quickly stuffed my phone in my bag without him seeing me, grabbed my book and opened it right in front of my nose. No eye contact or visible phone - maybe I wouldn't have to deal with this. I hear "Excuse me miss, could I borrow your phone?" Crap. Ignore. Ignore. There are other miss' around me, maybe he isn't talking to me. But I'm reading a book so I'm not paying attention to my surroundings...crap I don't hear anyone respond. Ignore. Ah! Man I'm a jerk!

A young girl got on the bus and sat right next to Mr. No Cell Phone. She of course pulled out her cell phone and of course he asked her to use it. She responded that her mom doesn't let her. He pushed and and said "it would be a quick call I promise." After his insistence, she said she was sorry but she couldn't allow it.

This was getting interesting.

He then turned to the lady next to me who had her phone out. She said "I don't think so man. The last time you borrowed my phone you were on it for like 30 minutes."

"I was not!" He instantly replied like a little kid.

It was right then that I decided I had made the right decision to not allow him to use my cell phone. Although on the other hand, I still felt like a jerk. Only a few more blocks to endure. No eye contact. No eye contact.

Jumped off the bus at my stop. Successfully evaded being a nice samaritan! Yay! Ugh I'm a jerk. Or am I...