Divine intervention in the form of a seriously irritating stumbling block.

Last thing that I'd heard from Firstborn was that they were seriously thinking of dropping the family phone plan with the provider I've used, directly or indirectly, for 20+ years, and going with a WiFi phone system. Middlest has a WiFi number that is only slightly better than useless. So tonight's goal was to go to the Sprint store and set up an account in my name ~ I've been on Firstborn's plan since shortly after Beloved died, as an economy measure ~ and add a line for Middlest.

I came home from work. We went to the nearest Sprint store. There were two customer service reps, and both were assisting customers. A woman came in with her grandchildren. She told me they'd been in earlier in the day, but something wasn't quite right. A man came in, looked over the phones, and left. Another guy came in and did something with one of the displays that caused it to sound a sharp alarm every ten to fifteen seconds or so. If looks could kill, he'd have been a goner, because Middlest has had a migraine for several days (it almost went away), and I am in momma-bear mode.

We left after one of the women at the counter told the grandmother that she and her friend had been there for three hours. Middlest and I looked at one another, and I said, "Let's go." As we were leaving the store, Middlest was able to think clearly enough to share an inspiration: Best Buy has a wide range of phones and excellent customer service.

They now have a loyal customer for life. I was able to call Firstborn, who was at the Sprint store (a different one) upgrading Willow's phone, learn that she was keeping the family plan, and get the information that Best Buy needed to add a line for Middlest. We now have a shiny new phone for Middlest and will go back tomorrow night to buy the Otter Box. I set up a transfer between my credit union and bank this morning, and it won't hit until tomorrow, and I'd already paid for a prescription.

From Best Buy we drove straight to In N Out for burgers and an order of fries to split, because I was so hungry that I could barely sign my name. (When we were still at the Sprint store, Middlest could feel my agitation as a prickly pear in my gut.) I calmed down almost completely at Best Buy, but I was Done.

It was only a few minutes ago that I realized that the whole frustrating mess at the Sprint store was really divine intervention that saved us from a needlessly expensive two-year commitment.

I have eaten dinner (at roughly 9:30) and devoured the rest of my pint of ice cream. I am as grateful as it is possible for a person who is visibly wilting to be. I will endeavor to be more coherently grateful tomorrow, but my prayers tonight will be of the "Please bless Heber, he is so very tired" variety.

Later, gator. I still have two more pills to swallow, and I've drunk all my water.