Vernon... The "Cell Phone Man"

I'll introduce you, to my life line... My little cell... It has traveled thousands of miles, and been engaged in millions, of very important conversations.... I love it... I get teased, by everyone, at my old cell... It's 5 years old, and I dropped it in the bathroom sink, under hot water, the first day I had it... I have never replaced the battery, and is the only phone, I know of, that has a wonderful 'Rooster Crow', for a ring tone! Perfect for an Antiques dealer... People are amazed, that it is a camera phone... They say, " a phone that old, is a camera phone?" You betcha! It's kind of like everything I own... and me, myself...pretty primitive.... Well, as I was visiting with a friend, this morning, my life line totally shut down! All it said, was something about a 'sim' card, and went totally black! Oh no...oh no.... My heart sank... So I hopped in the truck, and went to visit Vernon... Vernon was referred to me, 5 years ago, by the phone store, my cell plan is through...{ when the phone they sold me, bit the dust, minutes after the short warranty had expired!} His store, is not in the wealthiest neighborhood, in Cedar Rapids, and is kind of off the beaten path... I walked in, and Vernon had a welcoming smile on his face... I told him the situation, and I didn't want a 2 or 3 hundred dollar.phone, just one I can talk on, and not too many gadgets! He grabbed this one, out of the case, and it was a match made in Heaven! Vernon assured me, he would stand behind it, but it was a really good phone, and I shouldn't have any problems... He was so right! I reached for my check book, to pay him, then saw the sign, "cash only" Our eyes met, and he said, "I'll take your check..." I was so thankful, it would have taken me an hour, to get back, with cash! About 3 years later, my phone wouldn't charge... I thought, this could be it... a new phone... So, I ran over to see Vernon... I explained the situation, then showed him the phone... He burst out laughing! "You still have that old phone?", I was hurt, for a second... and replied, " I haven't been back to buy a new one, have I???" He looked it over, grabbed a new charger, and it took right off! I asked, "how much...{ with glee}", he said, ah 5.00. Wow, what a bargain, John had repaired my old charger, a year earlier, with an extension cord end, and it must have given up, the fix! Well, today, when my lil' pal quit, I headed straight to see Vernon... As I was pulling up, to his store, I saw a cross, in front of his place, with Teddy Bears, and all sorts of flowers and notes... I walked up, closer, and saw the sign... Vernon had died...about a week ago... My heart just sank... He was such a kind, gentle man... He was African American, and reminded me of Louis Gosset Jr. The picture of health, always a smile, even when he was very busy... He always made you feel like, he would take care of things... He did... He was a year older than me, which surprised me... I would have thought him to be at least 10 years younger... I could see, by all the Memorials, he was a loved Man, in the community... I got in the truck, and said a prayer for him... I'm gonna miss him... I sent Vernon a lot of customers... He was a good, honest, fair Man... I knew he would treat people right... and he always did... I went on, to see about my phone, at the 'strip mall', as I walked in the door, I saw the same charger, Vernon had sold me, for 5.00, there for 20.00... There were some young kids, running the store... They were very nice, but not Vernon... I asked, if anyone knew him, and what had happened, a customer, waiting, said Vernon had a heart attack.... My phone, only required a battery... After 5 years, it deserves one... I will always keep this little phone, even when it bites the dust... in Memory, of my friend, Vernon... Barb C.