More modern phone dilemmas...

One problem I have with technology is we can rely on it so thoroughly that we have no backup when it doesn't work. I visited my sister and her boyfriend in Boston over spring break. They both have cell phones and don't have a landline at all. I don't have a cell phone, and Dave's (my fiance) is broken. When someone calls it, we can hear them, but they can't hear us. So when my sister and her guy went to work, we were left home with no working phone. My sister resorted to calling us and giving us multiple-choice quizzes. The conversations went something like this:

Sis: I think you picked up. Press once if this is Dana, and twice if this is Dave.
Me: beep
Sis: Okay, press once if you guys are up, and twice if you're still in bed.
Me: beep
Sis: I'm getting off work early. Maybe we could meet for a late lunch. Press once if you are hungry, and twice if you already ate.

You get the picture. So yeah, cell phones are great if everyone has functioning ones. If not, it's worse than before they existed!