Mano-a-mano with Verizon

The title may make it appear I’m unhappy with Verizon.
Actually I’m not.
It’s just that I might have to do what in my case passes as a grandstand: “Prove to me my cellphone will take a charge.”
Over 17 years ago I had a stroke.
As a result, my ability to carry on an argument is slightly compromised.
My fantabulous Nokia 6205 cellphone (illustrated above) is dyeing. It won’t accept a charge.
Its battery-icon is now empty, even though the cellphone will still turn on.
I took it to Verizon yesterday (Friday, December 2, 2010), and they told me my charger was defective.
“Before we do anything,” I said; “I’m eligible for an upgrade next month.”
“$20 for an early upgrade,” they said.
“Before I do that, I think I may have another charger back home. “This phone replaced an identical phone that was dunked.”
Back home, the second charger was installed, and nothing.
So back to Verizon: “It ain’t the charger, guys; it’s the phone.”
My cellphone is doing anomalies.
It no longer beeps when I have a message.
It also was coming on when I flipped it open — like it decided a flip-open was the same as the on-switch.
And now it’s not taking a charge.
“It’s the phone, guys!”
It still comes on, but the battery icon is empty
“Let’s upgrade early; collect $20!”
The upgrade would be to a Smartphone, what I was planning to do anyway.
Last night, while it was still working, I made sure my Backup Assistant in the sky was up-to-date.
It was.
I turned it back off.
It’s still not accepting a charge.
I don’t expect it to last much longer.
“You’re gonna hafta show me it’s accepting a charge, that both my cellphone chargers are defective.
Even then, I don’t think I wanna spring for another charger. I bet it costs more than $20.
I’m gonna upgrade in a month anyway. That’s silly!”
The dyeing Nokia is making me upgrade before I’d planned.
In which case I have a Smartphone that will do way more than just be a phone.
Which is okay, but upgrading ahead of time.
I’m not ready.
My ability to drive such wizardry may also be compromised.
It’s the old waazoo; figure it out while driving — try this and see what happens.
It’s the way I figured out most technologies.
Although the results are rather rudimentary.

• I had a stroke October 26, 1993.
• “Backup Assistant” is Verizon’s service for maintaining your contact-list at Verizon besides in your phone. —When you get another phone, you can transfer your contact-list from their servers. (I always say the Verizon servers are on-high “in-the-sky,” like God.)