Day 158: Use A Pay Phone

     Pay phones creep me out. The're just so nasty. If it's not completely tagged up with graffiti, then it's probably glazed over with some sticky residue. They gross me out, and thats why I knew I'd have to marinate my hands and face in sanitizer after today's challenge. I had never used one before (for obvious reasons) and I decided to change that. It turns out that that last sentence is easier said than done. I checked at literally every single gas station/food eatery/mall that we stopped at during our stay in Arizona for a functioning pay phone. I was 0 for 6 with the working phones and my hands and ear were in desperate need for a soap soak. Some of the phones had a piece of metal that blocked the coin slot and some simply didn't have a dial tone coming out of the receiver. It was depressing, and most of all it was totally unsanitary, but I kept at it. We drove through the rest of Arizona and ended up in Cali before I found a working pay phone that I could waste my four quarters on. It was a lonely phone next to a deli in San Diego. I was so excited when I heard the subtle dial tone that I forgot about its greasy handle and the gum wad that was touching part of the number 8 (just for a second). I pumped in my quarters and dialed the number (I called my mom cause I didn't even know if she was aware that I was on a road trip, I felt like I should check in) and waited for her answer. I heard the buzz of the phone for a couple of seconds and then it went straight to her voicemail. I was bummed for the following reasons, listed from poopiest to least:

1. I was totally grossed out from all 7 of the phones
2. I just got jipped out of a dollar
3. My mom didn't answer

     I ended up just calling my mom with my fully functioning and more sanitary cell phone to get the satisfaction. Stupid pay phones