Dawn was fast approaching. Kathy was doing her best to try to get some sleep when she and Bob were both startled when her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and looked at the screen to see who was calling, and so wasn't ready when Bob hit the brakes.

"What happened?"

"Don't answer that." Bob said.

"It's alright. It's just Tim."

"Kathy, don't answer that and let me have it."

Wondering what the excitement was about, she handed him the phone. Bob opened the door with a quick, "Come with me." over his shoulder and headed back to Tim and the S.U.V. She caught up with him just in time to hear him say to her husband, "Give me the phone."

"Who are you calling?" He asked as he handed it to Bob.

"Nobody, and neither are the two of you."

With that, Bob removed the battery from each phone, then turned and threw both phones and their batteries as far into the brush as he could.

"HEY! Bob that's an expensive phone. What are you doing?" Tim demanded.

"I'm sure it is. Listen to me, both of you. Do you remember the commercials that they used to have where all the different companies claimed to have more bars, in more places than anyone else?"

They both nodded yes.

"Have you considered what that really means?"

"It shows the signal strength." Tim said.

"That is only half of it. The way these phones work is by sending out a signal to the nearest cell tower. THAT tells the tower where you are. The information is sent by the tower to the main system. That way the system knows where to send the incoming calls. So anyone who has access to the providers system only needs to ask where such and such a number is currently located, and you are caught. What good is it to hide anywhere and then tell your enemies where you are by a simple phone call?"

Bob saw Tim about to speak and waved him to silence.

"I know what you are going to say Tim. Turning the phone off doesn't work. It still keeps in contact with the towers even while off. And even if you take out the battery, as soon as you put it back it, the phone contacts a tower and your right back where you started. The same is true of lap tops, or any other device that you communicate with. If you have anything like that, get rid of it right now."

"Mr. Bob, does that include my C.D. player?" Tom asked from his place in the back of the S.U.V.

"No Tom. Your C.D. player is safe."

"I'm sure glad to hear that."

The adults couldn't help but laugh at the statement.


BW, Vietnam Vet