My husband, Noel, and I recently moved to beautiful South Dakota where winters can be harsh and animals love to run in front of vehicles
during nightly sprints across the freeway—which got us discussing the need for a wireless phone.
As we talked about his forty-five minute drive to work and the fact that winter was right around the corner, we remembered the time, in
Wisconsin, when he skidded across the freeway due to black ice and rolled his car on top of a graveyard. It was the scariest time of his
life.
My husband was just returning home from college. It was a beautiful day. The snow had stopped and the drive home was peaceful. As he
drove down the interstate he saw not one, but five vehicles in ditches. He drove more cautiously, praying he’d make it home in one piece
when out of nowhere he hit a patch of black ice. Before he knew it, his car was out of control and skidding across the freeway. His life
flashed before his eyes and all he could think was “hold on.”
He didn’t even realize the car had flipped until he pulled himself out of the car. As he grabbed his head, he felt a little blood
on the top of his skull, but
nothing too alarming. He staggered as he walked around the car, observing the damage and praising God for the miracle that allowed him to
walk away with a few minor cuts and scrapes.
As he contemplated how he was going to get help, he watched as several cars passed him by. He wasn’t dressed for a walk in the snow and
he wasn’t sure if he should be walking at all—after all, he could have a concussion. Wishing he’d kept his cell phone active, all he
could do was sit and wait.
A few hours had passed since he was supposed to be home and I was beginning to worry. I knew he stayed late to study some nights, but
this time was different. Just as I was about to drive off to find him, I received a phone call. It was my husband. A fellow student
was returning home from college when he spotted my husband on the side of the road.
Thankfully, he had a cell phone on him. He called Allstate Auto Club and had a tow truck in route when he called me to let me know what
had happened. Then he let me know that he would wait there until I arrived, just in case my husband passed out.
I was never more scared or mad in my life. “Why didn’t anyone stop and make sure he was okay?” I murmured. “What if he was seriously injured? He could’ve died and no one cared!” I shouted. Then I thought about the cell phone we’d turned off and wondered
why we just didn’t keep it. If he still had the cell phone, he could’ve dialed 9-1-1, he could’ve called for a tow truck, and he
could’ve called me to come pick him up and God-forbid, he could've called an ambulance (if he were conscious).
We swore we’d never be put in that predicament again, but we also made a commitment to downsize our personal expenses so we could get
out of debt once and for all. And that meant no monthly wireless phone bill until we’d reached our goal.
But as the weather grows colder, here in South Dakota, and flurries begin to fall, I know my heart couldn’t take another scare like
that. I am simply not ready to let my husband drive 45 minutes to and from work, in the snow, without a safety-net—a cell phone.
Sure a cell phone won’t solve the problem of sliding across black ice, but it can allow him to dial for help and not sit stranded in
the cold, harsh snow. And choosing the right plan proved to be easier than we anticipated. After doing our research we discovered
prepaid cell phones to be more sophisticated and cost-effective than when we last checked.
Enter your zip code to find the best wireless phone services in your area.
About The Author:
Alyice Edrich has been working from home, in one aspect or another, since the early 90s. She is the author of several
work-at-home e-books designed to help parents earn extra cash while spending more time with their children. Learn more at
http://thedabblingmum.com/ebookstore
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