Why My iphone Smells Like Crime

I had the best intentions of blogging on vacation. I knew I wanted to take pictures for the March photo-a-day link up and I wanted to remember this trip, as it is my last collegiate spring break. I even downloaded blog press to my phone Wednesday morning. Warning: This is long, but probably the most exciting thing to happen to me or my lil ole phone. Ever.


I decided Wednesday was the best day to work on a take home exam I was assigned over Spring Break (lame I know). Since we had limited internet access at the house, I decided a trip to Panera was in order. Soothing music, yummy sandwiches and salads and a big ole lemonade, all with free internet. I couldn't have asked for a better setting. Or so I thought.

I spent all of Wednesday afternoon working on this Stats exam. And I hate math, but I knew I wanted to get it done so I could enjoy the rest of my vacation. So I chugged away. And by 4:30 I was mostly done and ready to go home. So I gathered my stuff and got ready to go. I had come to the conclusion at this point that I deserved one of those Easter Egg cookies that had been staring at me for four hours. Delicious and a nice post-exam vacation treat. So, I put my phone, wallet and keys on the counter in order to get this treat. And that was that, or so I thought. I got to my car and was starting to pull out of the parking lot when I realized I should call Stuart and tell him I was on my way back. And then I realized I couldn't find my phone. A mere 2.5 seconds later I was back in the parking lot searching for my phone. I went up to the counter and looked where I was sitting. Looked in the parking lot, looked on the outdoor tables. Looked EVERYWHERE.


I finally decided to head home and call in back-ups. I also then realized I had an app called Find My iPhone that would be super useful. So I tracked my phone to a nearby Olive Garden. And S and I set out to search for it while his roommate Joe set off the alarm. And look we did for two hours. We caused a ruckus in the OG looking for my phone. We talked to the manager. We searched the parking lot and I even put my ear up to a dumpster. DIS-GUS-TING. Finally we gave up and headed home, noticing that my phone had lost it's GPS signal. I thought it was gone forever...until it turned on again. And wouldn't you know my little ole iPhone made it's way to both a sandwich shop in another town and then to a seedy motel. Who knew it was that talented?!?!

It was then I decided to call the police and place a report, still tracking my phone to this lovely beach side motel. I spoke with a detective and thought they would go get it... they didn't. I continued to watch my phone for a day and a half. Seriously, my screen looked like this forever. Or when we could get internet to the house, so like once an hour for two minutes. 

via

We sent messages and set off alarms, which the app allows you to do and encouraged whoever the lovely person was that happened to stumble upon my phone to call Stuart so I could get it back. For some reason they didn't oblige... I wanted to send them this message, but I feared they may have been offended.

via

Finally, on Friday, after my phone and the GPS had been off for 24 hours and my heart was broken, I checked my email and saw that it had been turned on! I immediately called back to the original town where I filed my report and they said they couldn't help and I needed to call the next town over, where my phone was located. After Stuart called for me because I am a baby the phone call was made, they actually sent someone out there to get it! A sgt. of the Clearwater, FL police department personally put his ear up to the grungy motel doors in order to hear the alarm go off on my phone and SAVED THE DAY! I owe this man BIG TIME. And to top it all off, he called me back to tell me he had it, the first thing he said to me was: "can I just say you and your husband are a beautiful family." Seriously?!? Sweetest man EVER!  (And no, I didn't correct him :) )

I made my way to the police department and got my baby back. Happiest girl ever. I thought my days of WWF and iMessage were over, but boy was I wrong. Seriously though, the Clearwater PD was so easy to work with and it was so nice to know that they viewed my big deal as a priority, even though they had MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger stuff going on as well. The sweet sgt. that got my phone for me had to go off on an emergency call as soon as my phone was retrieved. 

The one bad thing? My phone seriously smells like it spent the night in a cigarette and liquor filled hades and I am super afraid of what it might have touched. So Momma Bev gave me permission to order a new otterbox and my phone itself has been scrubbed with rubbing alcohol. After all, that spends a lot of time near my face.

Moral of the story: If you have an iPhone make sure you have Find My iPhone installed. And when you call the police, have searched the area enough that you can give them the name of wherever your phone is. And thank a police officer. They protect us, keep us safe and even take the time to save our stolen stuff. 

Have a happy Monday!!