Unrepairable.

 As if on cue, another electronic device that I acquired in 2014 has come to the end of its life---my iPhone 5s. It is tiny and ancient by today's standards. I bought it because I needed a phone with international calling while I traveled in Europe. I went to the mall out in Beaverton---the same place I bought our television set---and purchased it from a T-Mobile kiosk in the middle of the mall concourse. I had never owned an iPhone before. It seemed extravagant. But buying it meant that I'd be assured connectivity while I traveled in Europe, which was necessary for my job, which was developing software remotely for a Big Textbook Publishing Company. I reasoned that my tiny MacBook Air plus the iPhone would turn me into a nomadic warrior. It did. It worked well.

The iPhone I bought was out of date almost immediately after I purchased it. My tech-savvy brother-in-law wondered why I had not waited the six weeks. But that would have been too late when we leaving for Europe in almost a few days. It was August. We were moving out of the apartment in SW Nebraska St in only a few weeks. 

I didn't mind that it was out of date. I loved that I could keep using it despite so many new versions coming out. It was about as old an iPhone as you can have, and still be supported by Apple in any way. 

Over the years I had replaced the display screen twice,  both times in quick succession in the fall of 2017 around the time that my mother passed away. I had replaced the battery once, because the old one was not up to snuff.

I probably should have left the old battery in. Last week it began doing a strange thing---it would shut down and restart itself even with a charged battery, and would come back on confused into thinking it had no battery, then showing it had a full one. I did research online, and I tried to troubleshoot it, but it didn't work. As a last resort I thought I could install a brand new battery.

I went online to the website of strip mall repair chain and booked a drop off at their north Scottsdale location for late Sunday. We would swing by after going to Costco.

The guy at the counter told me, "didn't you get my phone message?"

"No, this is my phone, and it won't go on, or at least it won't stay on."

Turns out there tech person was not available that day. I said I could wait until tomorrow and left the phone. As I handed it to him, he pointed out that there was a small crack in the screen I hadn't seen. I told him just to replace the battery for now. 

When I left there I had no phone at all. I didn't mind being out of contact. This is the way we used to live. But it meant I could not get my text messages. My uncle was in his last days, and I would want to send a message to his daughter of consolation if she texted me that he had died.

It was Tuesday morning before I came into the strip mall shop to pick up my phone. I had told them to contact me by email but I was not surprised at all that I had not received a message from them. I could tell that by the way the guy behind the counter said yes to my request.

"Unrepairable," said the man behind the counter, reading the printed report from the tech while cradling the phone. He was obviously the owner, by his age, compared to the junior employee I had seen on Suunday. 

He said that the tech had tried various things, including a new battery, but phone would not go on. He handed it back to me. The screen was now cracked visible in a large pattern.

I could tell his verdict was final. It was the end of the phone.

"...Tech noticed some water damage inside. Said that was probably the culprit."

I smiled. I already knew about the water damage.

"That day in Rotterdam, walking around in the rain, " I thought to myself. "Brushing the water off the screen and thinking it was ruined".