The Legend of the 517 Area Code

"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you the next time I see you. I love you. I'll be seeing you."

The Notebook

Tonight, I took an accidental step forward, or backward...hard to say. A step that I am wholeheartedly not sure I was ready to take. It all began when earlier today I was trying to text a friend of mine....one who is facing great hardship. I became increasingly annoyed when my text messages were not being sent to her. I felt it was very important that she knew I cared and that I was thinking of her, and unfortunately the Sprint Network could have cared less. Her brother needs all our prayers, so do me a favor and pray for her....please and thank you.

I was so irritated that I called Sprint. I wanted a credit and to find out if there were network issues in the area. What I didn't expect was to be bombarded with questions that could only be answered by the account holder...Mr. Benjamin Mutnick. They asked me if they could speak with him, and I kindly explained that unless they had a direct line to heaven, talking with Ben was going to be impossible.

I became hysterical. Sprint politely said (and I have to say they were pretty nice, let's not push it, I said nice, and only nice) that they needed to update the account and remove Ben as the primary holder. They then posed the question to me whether or not I wanted to turn Ben's phone off. Ben's phone is legendary in my opinion. Both he and I have had the same phone number since the EL. He has rocked the same 517 number for well over a decade. I will never forget the ring back tones he picked for me....Rubber Band Man, Fraggle Rock, Magic Carpet Ride, Here Comes the Bride, and the latest, Bring Me Back that Fillet O' Fish (yes that's right, the song from the McDoanld's commercial). Only Ben could get away with that ring tone for his wife....what a guy. And no matter where I am, every time I hear any of those ring tones or songs, I have to stop and take a moment so that I don't have a very public meltdown.

After processing what had just been said, I felt my throat close...for real. I was rushing down the steps for my EpiPen gasping for air. I actually considered sticking myself in the thigh or butt, but figured that John and Megs, or Don and Nanc would not appreciate a visit to the ole ER, so I put the EpiPen back. And the EpiPen and I don't really have a great track record. I actually thought that I got stung when we were at MSU. Let me start out by saying, whatever bit me hurt like hell....like a bee. I was studying in my bathing suit alone at a park, when I got stung. I totally freaked out, and tried to give myself the shot, which failed! I quickly jumped in my car, flagged down some police officers on bikes, who then called for back up. I landed myself laying on the side of the road in my suit surrounded by a bunch of firemen and police officers. I was so embarrassed....beyond embarrassed. They called an ambulance and made me climb in....mind you I'm still in my bikini! They hooked me up to all these monitors and checked my vitals only to find out that I had gotten stung by a horsefly...that's right, a horsefly. I wanted to die. All the guys were super hot.... every girls fantasy, and here I was in my bathing suit, toughly horrified. I have never been more embarrassed....Ben loves that story.

However, I felt like I'd just gotten stung by a nest of bees with no mercy, yes bees, not horseflies. I was caught so off guard and was so hysterical, that Bear hid in the closet.....big shocker. The dog who kills rabbits and squirrels before work, can't handle when I have a melt down...what a baby....but I love her! I could hardly calm myself down. It was then that I saw a picture of Ben and I from Jillie Bean's wedding. He was looking right at me, telling me to take deep breaths, and that it was going to be OK. I could hear him whisper to me "Lindsay it's just a phone, a legendary one at that, but it's just a phone. It's OK to let go....it's OK AMo."

I then closed my eyes and let go, just a bit. I feel like the rope just slipped through my fingers and that I wasn't' strong enough to hold on. I know it sounds silly, and it is just a phone, but it's Ben's phone. He was the last person to make a call on that phone. And I know that no matter how many times I call, he is never going to answer, and so today I turned the phone off forever. I never expected to be so emotional over something so trivial. No one can prepare you for a loss like this. It's the little things that tend to get you!

I only hope that some sexy, funny, blond haired, blue eyed babe, ends up with this legendary 517 number. It can't be anything but amazing. I am tempted to call it later this week and see who answers. I am tempted to tell this person how lucky they are to have this number and that the person who had this number before them kicked ass!!!!!!

So tonight we say a fair well to the BMuttz Blackberry/Crackberry. You are gone for now, but never forgotten. I will leave you with this.....

"Although they try to get on with their lives, their love does not die."

I Love you B...but you know that.