Can't Talk To Me

First off, if you call me on my cell phone, there's a 50-50 chance I'll hang up on you before the initial hello.  Doing the thumb-slide thing on the screen answers the phone.  I know that.  But a little red phone icon pops up and I feel compelled to touch it.  That cancels the call.  I'm getting better, but no promises.

Assuming we get through Step 1 and make the connection, I realize that having a conversation with me can be difficult.  Yesterday afternoon, I'd just finished watering the deck plants and Bess and I were taking a break when the hunting horns from Sherwood Forest (my ring tone) sounded from my bibby pocket.  "Hello?"  (Successful call connection.)  So there I was, sitting on the bench outside and conversing with my friend Linda.  My view to the south includes the parking lot, etc., of the winery next door.  I'd seen the proprietress drive off, the last to leave for the day.  Linda was chatting when I interrupted.  "Whoa, what's going on here.  There's a man walking up the driveway next door and going into their vineyard.  They're all gone and he shouldn't be there."  Telling Linda I'd call her back, I phoned the owners, but by that time the stranger had left.  It's the rural version of Neighborhood Watch, and they'd check it out.

I'm much better at making calls than receiving them, so I called Linda back so we could finish our talk, sort of.  Mid-sentence, "Ohmigosh, quail just went across the driveway.  I haven't seen quail in ages.  I love to see quail choo-choo trains."  Back to the subject, and then, "Oh, I forgot to tell you I think I saw a golden eagle a little while ago, riding the thermals with a group of vultures!  Cam has seen one at her place, but I'd not seen one until today."  And the talk went on before I broke in again.  "Oh, wow!  There's a contrail that made a sharp left turn over the hill to the south.  I've never seen one that hasn't gone straight across the sky.  What do you suppose?"  Linda was very patient with all these interruptions.  It's very possible that the next time we talk, she'll ask me to go inside first so we might have a chance at a grownup conversation.  Or not.