Couple of weeks ago I received an email about a cellular wi-fi device I had for sale on Craigslist. Turned out the potential buyer was from Chicago but was vacationing for several weeks near the border between Highland and Adams Counties. The resort she was staying at had no Internet service and she was having withdrawal symptoms.

She was able to get a decent cellphone signal but didn’t have a smart phone with Internet capabilities. Her only chance at getting a data fix was to either buy an expensive smart phone or to buy my non-contractual device and pay to have it activated.

Turned out this was not going to be an easy task for her. Due partly to her own lack of technical know how and getting somewhat of a run around from the techies at AT&T what should have taken minutes took better than 24 hours.

Finally, however, she was able to get service and called me up to let me know that her world was right side up and I could spend the money she had paid me for the device.

What prompted this little story was just having read about how some people today have become so reliant on their cell phone and the Internet that they experience just the kinds of withdrawal symptoms I observed with this visitor from Chicago. This lady came to Southern Ohio from her home in the heart of the city with no understanding of just how far removed many of us are from leading technology. In fact, she told me that several others had originally came with her but opted to return home once they discovered they would be without the conveniences of urban life, i.e., no Internet.

I’m really not making light of these urbanites since I have experienced the same feelings on occasion. It’s always been a sore spot with me that while other had access to broadband ISPs I was stuck with dial-up. Things are getting better but I doubt we in Bumf#@k, Ohio will ever really catch up. Like stepchildren everywhere, we’ll just get the hand me downs from what the cities are no longer using.