Tammy has never been on the cutting edge of technology but she got a little closer to it last night.

Tammy’s new fancy pants phone.

That’s because she got an early Christmas present which brought her into the world of fancy pants phones (aka Smart Phones).

Tammy had her old phone for 2+ years and recently told me that even The Girls at work were making fun of her and her “dinosaur phone,” so I decided to upgrade her to an iPhone 4S.

I stopped to pick up the phone on my way to meeting Tammy for a night of shopping. They weren’t going to activate the phone because I didn’t want Tammy’s old phone to be turned off until I gave her the new one.

That didn’t happen.

She knew something was up as soon as I found her in Target.

Tammy: Did you do something to my phone?
Me: What? Why do you think that?
Tammy: Because I can’t send text messages, they keep failing.
Me: Dang it… He said it could take a couple of hours before it changed over. Merry Christmas.

With that I went back to the car and brought in her present. But instead of being excited she started questioning me.

Tammy: Was it free?
Me: No. I got the better one so it was $90.
Tammy: $90? I told you I just wanted the free one.
Me: I know, but this one is better.
Tammy: The free one was still better than what I had. Geeesh… (shakes her head and walks away).

That was it. No pomp and circumstance, no hugs or jumping for joy.

In her defense she KNEW she was getting a new phone, she just didn’t know which one or when. Any excitement vanished when she found out the “extras” (protective case, shield guard) she needed with the phone.

Me: I can’t believe you want to spent $27 on a sweater, but don’t want to spend $30 for a phone case.
Tammy: The sweater would make me look good. A phone case doesn’t.

We eventually got her an Invisible Shield to protect her screen but even then she couldn’t believe the cost.

Tammy: Geesh, it’s $15?! That seems like a lot.

She also wasn’t really enjoying the learning curve that came along with her “smart” phone.

Tammy: Ah geez, I can’t use my fingernails to text anymore? I gotta use my actual finger, I don’t like that at all.

We started talking about the phone over dinner when she brought up the cost again.

Tammy: I can’t believe you spent $90. We could have used that money to go out for a fancy date night instead of coming to One Buffet (the new Super China buffet in town).

But when I told her I got the 4S because it has Siri I could see her brain starting to churn with the possibilities.

Me: I got you this one because it’s got the Siri. You know, the thing where you can ask it questions and it answers for you.
Tammy: Oh yeaaaahhh. You think she’d tell me stuff about Peyton Manning?

I just shook my head at the big smile she had on her face.

I walked her to her car after dinner where we had another “smart” conversation.

Tammy: (holding up her phone) This phone is heaaaaavvyyy.
Me: That’s because it’s “smart.”
Tammy: What are you trying to say? That fat people are smarter?

I looked at her, closed her door and walked to my phone shaking my head again.