What happened when I (accidently)drowned my IPhone.
Sometimes we do things that are so insanely stupid.
I can only laugh about it. After 2 years. And a pandemic later.
So, I drowned my phone. Bought out after months of savings and careful planning.
My routine sucks. I have no time. No time for anything.
I brush and shower. Iron clothes and try to eat(emphasis on try ).
I had no time. Everything was to be done in 30 minutes.
Instead of waking up early I plan my entire existence to try and catch the bloody cab.
Today, was it supposed to be different?
A good day.! A great day even.
I woke up at 9. It felt good. There was 2 hours for office cab to arrive.
OMG.! There is soooo much time.
So I brush. Leisurely. Enjoying it.
Then I went for breakfast.
I know, I know, some of you shower before you eat. You guys are good people.
Unfortunately, I am not.
I eat. Slowly-slowly,savouring every bite. And I check my phone while I devour the food.
The cab is still 1 hour 45 minutes away. They’ve sent an OTP for me to share later.
Once, I finished eating, I go over to wash the dishes. My phone’s in my pocket.
Relaxed, I proceed towards the bath.
Wait. !
Can I do something else as I have the time?
Idea.! Here’s something — Clothes can be washed.
I check the laundry basket. Dirty, smelly clothes. Sit in there, waiting for the weekend. Waiting to be washed.
I take all my clothes and put them in the washing machine. And turn it on.
Go back to taking a shower.
I remove my t-shirt and and take an aim for the freshly empty laundry basket.
I throw. Aaaand — It’s a basket.!
Cool.
Go back towards the shower. I remove my lower, and keep it on the bed.
Before I start the shower- Wait a second. I can wash these clothes too.
Why to keep them in the laundry basket for next weekend.?
I can do it now.
I put my hand in and take out the t-shirt. Grab the lower from the bed and put it all in the washer.
Cool, the washing hasn’t started yet. I throw them in and rush back to take a shower.
Cool.! I switch on the hot water. Take a nice, long shower.
It’s steamy, relaxing and calming.
There’s nothing to worry about today, I feel.
I come out all lightened. At ease. Composed. For a few minutes.
Like all of you these days, I also feel a certain sense of restlessness when I am not using my phone all the time.
I reached out for my phone. It was not present in my room. Oh no worries: I think. It’s in the dining room.
I go out find it it. Don’t see it anywhere.
I try and think about where I saw it last. I don’t remember ???
The anxiety builds up. The pressure is on. I feel my heart racing. I try to race back all events in my head. What did I do when I woke up?
Flashback- Woke up, brushed, ate, washed dishes and showered. Last I saw during eating. I kept the phone in my pocket.
Which pocket? Cool, the phone’s in the lower. And where is the lower is ? It is in the damn washer.!!
I race back — as quick as I’ve ever seen myself. I go in and open the machine, it’s running. The detergent is soaked and wash cycle is on.
I hear a noise. Something is being rammed from side to side. Something is hitting the walls of the machine.
I put my hand in.
Don’t even stop the machine.
My hand now is the viscous, dark and dirty water. Trying to find out where the hell is my phone.After a few seconds, feel something solid.
Try to pull it back up. I have grabbed and pull it up.
My phone, doesn’t turn on. Of course it doesn’t. Need to remove the excess water I try to open it.
This is not a normal phone. It is an Iphone which obviously doesn’t open.
Thanks Steve.!
I remove the sim card tray. Water spills out. Sim is removed and I keep thinking about the enormous stupid mistake I made.
You’ve all seen the ads- “If you don’t have an Iphone, you don’t have an Iphone” Well, now I don’t have one too.
What they don’t say is we’re basically the same as any other phone, just because you associate words like luxuxy or premium with our brand; we charge double or triple(Iphone 11 Pro max anyone ?).
Mine cost 45K. That money is down the drain. Literally. I am sad.
Dejected.
Empty.
I spend the next hour thinking about it. Clothes get washed in the meantime. I hang them up on the clothesline and go about my day.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
I go, for the cab.I don’t need to run today.
I walk, slowly.
Solemn. In grief. Wait for the cab to come.
It comes up after a few minutes. All right, I can go to the office now.
The cab guy comes out. Asks 3 of us for the OTP for the cab.
WAIT.!
I don’t have the otp.
Because I don’t have a phone.
I ask him if I can get in without the OTP. Maybe see my ID card.
He refuses. It is not company policy. He needs the OTP. Else, I cannot get in.
Others try to help me.. I tell them my phone broke(I lie obviously). He relents. He calls his supervisor and lets me in on the ID card.
I go in. Turns out we did not need the OTP.We reach the office. I try to login.
I cannot do that. Why ?
Why is that? This is because VPN sends and OTP.
On the phone.
I spend the next hour convincing someone on call to please help reset my password and “Please let me login without VPN.”
She helps(Finally.!!) I can login without the OTP.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
I am able to work. I come back home and reflect on what happened today.
Apart from the loss, which was bad enough; the interdependence on technology to solve non-existent problems led to more problems than it solves in the first place.
I think, 2 factor authentication options like this should not be forced on us.Or if they are, only for critical stuff.
Right now, they are being done for all.
I did not have my cell so I could not board a cab — These two things are unrelated.
My question is “Why would you even need an OTP in the first place ”
Is it due to hacking concerns ? “Why would someone want to pretend to be me to go to my office?”
Even I don’t want to go to office. :D Why would someone else ?
How could someone login- “as me” when they cannot get in the already secured access cubicle where I work.
I have no idea.
Paranoia about tech-hacks/phishing made companies hyper-aware about security.
But there are risks. Risks even in the new processes. Someone needs to compile the new risks.
The new risks, caused by using the new technology.
What happened to me, could happen to you. Where would you be without your phones?
If you lost, misplaced or drowned(:D) it.
Think about it.
