My mobile phone rang at 10:30 am today. I pulled it out of my pocket with dread because I expected it to be my bank. They’ve called me twice since the second time they promised the calls would stop immediately.

It wasn’t my bank. It was someone in the lobby of my apartment building.

If you’ve been reading these pages since the spring, you know that I’ve given up my land line for a mobile phone. As with many apartment buildings, visitors ‘buzz’ the apartment they are arriving to visit, and the apartment dweller’s phone rings. They talk and the apartment dweller presses a button on their phone to allow the visitor to enter the building. Simple, right? Right!

When I got my mobile phone plan set up, I took advantage of Wireless Number Portability to have my land line phone number moved to my mobile phone. This was appealing because I wouldn’t have to change my number with anyone. So as a consequence, visitors buzz me and my mobile phone rings.

The call this morning was from the lobby. The caller informed me that he was from Canada Post. He had a package for me, requiring a signature. My antenna! I asked him if he could leave it in the building office. He explained that as long as there was someone present to sign for it, he’d be happy to do so. I thanked him and buzzed him in.

The weird part is that I was at work, 25 kilometres away, during this whole exchange.

It’s been six months and I’m still not used to my only phone being a mobile phone. For example, I’ve told callers that I had to end the call because I’m leaving. Of course I don’t have to end the call since it’s a mobile phone. I’m taking it with me anyway!

Decades of experience isn’t changed overnight.