The Telephone

I've come to the conclusion that I pay the phone bill strictly for Tristan to use the phone. Every night, like clockwork, his girlfriend calls. They then proceed to talk on the phone for at least an hour if not two about nothing. They see each other all day at school. What could they possibly have to talk about for that long every night?

Oh sure, I get the occasional call from my mother-in-law, asking me how to do something on her computer, or a call from Tristan himself letting me know where he's at or what he's doing. But for the most part, the only calls I receive are from bill collectors or someone trying to sell me something.

Sometimes, if it isn't the normal time for the girlfriend to be calling and the phone rings, I just look at it like I don't understand what it means. Surely, it's not going to be anyone I really want to talk to.

Sometimes, the girlfriend will throw me for a loop and call at a different time. I almost won't answer it. Why should I? It's not for me, and besides, she's not staying with the schedule.

I wonder what would happen if I didn't pay the bill and they shut the phone off? Has there been any cases on record of a teenager dying from lack of a phone? I don't think so, but Tristan would beg to differ.

Someday, a long time from now, I will regain control of my phone. I will know that when it rings it will be for me, and I'll be comfortable with that. Until then, I'll be a built-in answering machine for my teenage son, and probably continue in that role through the next two children.