Editorial: My phone, Lenny

EJ Photo/Travis Charslon

I have a love / hate relationship with my phone.  We’re trying to work through it, but I’m thinking it may take counseling.  The family is on a trip to the Ozarks for a work conference and a few days of fun and relaxation, and my phone keeps interrupting us.

I refuse to give him a name.  Maybe that causes some resentment and makes him lash out at me at the most inopportune times. It’s as if he’s a new, unwanted member of the family.  My kids hate him when I pay attention to him while we are on the boat, at dinner, or at the pool.  But when their devices die, they beg for my phone and play with him like old pals.

My wife understands that I need my phone to keep up with work and other projects, but doesn’t seem to mind when he has to take a long nap after burning all of his energy trying to get me information all day.  He did help us out a lot yesterday as we used him to watch the radar trying to dodge rain cells while we were boating on the lake.  He also gave us recommendations for breakfast this morning, and directions to our destination for today.

Just like any relationship, Lenny and I have ups and downs.  I’m writing this on a cloudless morning  overlooking a beautiful lake, watching the early risers getting their boats ready for whatever adventures they have planned for the day.  I can type as fast with my thumbs now as I can on a keyboard.  A few minutes out of our vacation and a touch of the send button is all it takes. We’ll see how he behaves the rest of the day.

Yeah, I named him.