P-Phone!

No, the title isn’t a typo for phone or an abbreviation of payphone, although, growing up in the 70s and 80s we had payphones everywhere. Initially, the big red phone box style which are now collectors items (later replaced for the very boring glass cubes). Although, for those slightly younger readers not familiar with these, don’t expect a Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix type - they were just the regular red phone boxes. We had nothing like super hi tech smart phone gadgetry kids get to use today.

Talking of mobile phones, I still remember my first in about 1995 the BT Roamer 100. Amazing! Although mobile phones had been invented in the 70s, I’d say it was still pretty basic and probably one the kids would absolutely laugh at today. Also known as a brick phone...

My experience is not about a payphone as such but is about a mobile phone and I certainly paid for my error!

My son was just about a toddler and I had a Nokia 6210 (I think that’s what it was). Nokia was the master of mobile phones back in the early 90’s and even 2000’s. I must have gone through loads for personal and work purposes: 5100, 5110, 3200, 3610, 3620. I’d had the 6120 about a few months and was pretty happy with it.

We were having a nice drink at a local establishment when my son needed to make use of the facilities. Being potty trained at the time, this was very exciting and he set off to manage his pull-ups. I followed.

All went well and he finished swiftly. Pleased with himself he struggled a little in repositioning the pull ups under his mini jeans. Not wanting to see him struggle I lean over to assist...

Unfortunately, I had forgotten my shiny phone was in my shirt breast pocket.

Splosh!

Oh - refraining from using any expletives, I took the conscious decision, after a short pause, that “it’s only his small person wee, he’s got me with that before”. With that, my hand went down the pan and I retrieved said 6210, which had switched itself off as it hit the pale yellowy liquid.

After assisting with the replacement of the pull ups, one handed! I rush to the taps and with great expertise thoroughly scrub both my hands and the phone. My son copied in the other sink, excluding the phone...

Next step, dry!

Yep, I took myself to the hand dryer and proceeded to utilise the expelled hot air, thoroughly drying my hands (a challenging task before today’s high powered fan version) and to my surprise making a pretty good job of the phone too.

Placing in a hand towel, the phone went into my - trouser pocket.

After a brief explanation of our exploits, which was greeted with great hilarity by my wife, we left.

On returning home, without the knowledge these days of using rice or specialist absorption packs, the phone was disassembled and placed in the airing cupboard. The best place I could think of to dry it further.

The following 24 hours went past with apprehension. What would be of the 6210. As I had removed the back and SIM card, it was clear to see the dreaded ‘red’ marker to indicate the phone had been in contact with water....or fully submerged in pee!!

The time had come. With some trepidation and limited confidence, I retrieved the phone and went about reassembling the components. SIM card in, battery slid into place and now for the moment of truth....

Well would you believe it - the bars build on the right, the bars build on the left (for signal strength and battery life respectively) and then I see ‘Menu, Name’ and reassuringly - O2.....

Success. Hooray!

To finish, I did continue to use the 6210 for a short time. However, with the thought of wee in the handset never quite leaving me, I requested an upgrade and selected an alternative.

From that point onward, I very rarely used my shirt top pocket. Clearly, as the title states, keen to avoid a ‘Pee‘-Phone!