29.8.07

Lost and Phoned

Remember that Seinfeld episode where one of their cars gets stolen and they phone the car phone and talk to the theif?

Yesterday while I was taking photos of the construction site of a new school and medical clinic, my cell phone slipped off my belt. I discovered two hours later after taking Blaise to the doctor in a neighbouring town that my phone was gone, but figured I left it at the office.

This morning after searching the house, car, office and the medical storage facility I remembered that I had jumped off mounds of dirt at the construction site late in the afternoon. Armed with Amber's phone, I walked around the site, dialing and listening. The good news was that it hadn't rained too much and that my phone was still ringing (it still worked). I covered the whole territory while kids from a neighbouring school covered the same territory during their recess.

Then someone answered my phone.

I hurriedly explained that I had lost my phone yesterday and that the phone they were talking on was mine and how could we meet so that I could get it back. What I could hear were girls laughing and someone speaking way too loud in Poqomchí. This went on for 10 minutes. The two words I did understand were "fifty quetzales" ($7). I pressed them for location details. I pressed them to find someone who could speak Spanish. Then I gave up and hung up.

I phone back 2 minutes later and a girl spoke to me in Spanish and called me by name! She told me that they were in Pansalché, a community on a the side of a steep mountain neighbouring where I was searching for my phone. She told me they would be on the path.

I drove up the road a bit and parked. I tried phoning again, but no answer. Over and over again, no answer. I began to worry that this might be a wild goose chase and I dreaded having to climb this mountain only to descend with out my phone.

But, why not? I dialed four times and on the last dial, half way up the mountain, I heard the familiar shrill ringtone of my phone. I walked up to the store window and said "that's my phone that is ringing."



I got a detailed account of how my phone was found and ended up here. But it was in Poqomchí. You can see the Q50 bill in her hand.



I was more than thrilled about the whole experience. If I had lost my phone though, I would have lost the number everyone has for me, 350 minutes of airtime, and a $30 phone. Oh, and a crummy belt case.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I glad you didn't give up.....you look really tired in that picture...and I'm glad that we can still call you on your phone!

Anonymous said...

Glad you got your phone back. That is quite a run around you got, but it ended well.