A couple of weeks ago I finally made the move and got a smart phone. 

It wasn’t a sudden decision; I had been studying, reading reviews, talking to those who had them, and generally thinking about it for a long while.

A couple of things I knew, however, from the start, and became part of my criteria.  First off, Apple iPhone was out.  Not because I’m a Microsoft sort of guy, but because I’ve been on Verizon a long time and they actually cover my house with reachable signals.  For those who don’t know, I live out in the middle of nowhere.  It’s just East of Fleahop, Alabama, and I am not making that up.  But I love it.  “Green Acres is the place for me!”  But I digress.  AT&T doesn’t have the range to reach me.

So I was going to get a phone that was on a Verizon plan.

I could have gotten a Windows Mobile phone.  Hey, it could lead me on to additional certifications, no?  But I didn’t.  I wanted apps--free apps.  Stuff that made having a smart phone worthwhile, not just a Palm Pilot that let you talk.  Or a real small computer.  So I wanted something unique.  Google goggles is one app I really love.  But I’ll speak more on these unique features of the Android OS at a later post.  On with my story.  I therefore bought a Motorola Droid.

My younger brother up in Massachusetts met a fine lady last year and proposed to her.  The wedding was set for 31 July.  I wanted the phone before we flew up to Boston.  I got it right before we left and loaded it up with apps, my various mail accounts, books from Aldiko and Kindle and even my extensive music collection.  Life was good and I had something to play with while waiting in airports, on the plane, or even on the beach.

I used the car navigation feature to drive to the Atlanta airport.  It was great, but somewhat annoying.  When we got off for gas and coffee, it continually whined for me to “Turn left” or “Turn right” to get back on I-85.  My wife didn’t like it, but I thought it was cool.  So did the kids.  The Droid could tell Daddy what to do!

The airport was far more hectic than I thought it would be.  I’ve been flying a lot these past couple of years so I knew the routine well, but always was a little too nervous or edgy the day of a flight.  We were not arriving in my comfort zone when it came to time.  It would require a quick hustle until we reached the gate.  Flying with my family was a new experience.  I tried to brief the kids on exactly what to expect, especially going thru security.

So we got parked in the long term lot, took the funky articulated bus from there and got thru baggage check-in alright.  Herding my kids is not for the faint of heart.  Charlotte is a sweet Southern Belle but s-l-o-w!  She never steps with a long stride and purpose like her parents.  Nathan’s eyes were as big as saucers taking in all the new scenes and sights of the World’s Busiest Airport. I kept having to prod her to move it while gathering him back in line.

Then we got to the dreaded security checkpoint.

<--- OK, this picture isn’t Atlanta Hartsfield, but it was similar to this that day.  So we had to grin and bear it.  It was also the last place I saw my Droid.

How did it happen?  I don’t know, exactly.  I thought put it in my TechEd 07 backpack when I transferred my keys and coins from my pockets.  My daughter said I put the phone in the bucket with my son’s shoes and stuffed monkey, Rocco.  In any case, it took forever to get thru the metal detector.  Nathan kept setting it off!  And the stone-faced TSA woman kept telling him to “Empty your pockets!”   Well, he didn’t have any pockets!  I know, I helped him dress.  He went thru the detector three times before I found his fanny pack under the long tee shirt he was wearing.  He had all his coins in it.  With that off, he went thru without the beeping.  However, that delayed us getting back to our now scanned stuff.  The Droid was not in the tub with Rocco.  I helped my son get everything back on and then went thru my pack looking for the Droid.  No luck.  I asked one of the TSA agents if they had it.  No go.  I re-searched my stuff, taking EVERYTHING out.  No Droid.  The TSA supervisor even reviewed the security tapes but did not see who took it.  We had a plane to catch, and time was not our friend.  So, the Droid was truly gone.

We were flying Air Tran and they now have Wi-Fi (for $10) on the plane.  Using my wife's laptop I was able to log on to all my various accounts I had set up on the Droid and change my passwords, as well as disable the phone thru Verizon Wireless.

Upon returning from Boston I went to the Lost and Found desk at Atlanta Hartsfield.  Interesting place.  It’s upstairs in the main terminal building and has its own special elevator.  It’s filled with the lost detritus of a modern society—cell phones, iPods, Game Boys, PSPs, etc.  Sadly, my little Droid wasn’t one of them.

Thanks to insurance and a $90 deductable I now have little Droid’s twin brother.  I’ve apped him out with all the latest the lost Droid had plus more.  But I still miss my first little Droid, and will forever wonder what became of him.