Good luck charm

Our cell phone was acting up lately. If you were lucky, it would work. If not, it would get a line but the person on the other end would speak and not hear you answer. That led to funny conversations - I guess as close as the ones in person - where two people are basically talking by themselves:
- I don't know if you can hear me but I can't hear you.
(...)
- Can you stop and get some milk on your way home?
(...)
- I will hang up now. I hope you're ok?

And from the other side:
- Damn phone
- Hellooooo! I can hear you. Can you hear me?
- Helllooo - no don't hang up. I will stop the car and face the East. Maybe, just maybe...

So we carried the phone for a few days, confident in its self-healing powers. We dutifully charged it, again and again. It seems we lugged it around out of habit, for the sense of security it brought in case of a mishap on the highway. Our own high-tech talisman. Except it was broken.

After many frustrating one-way conversations, we finally brought it back to the store.

You want a new one? asked the helpful clerk.
No, we want you to repair it.
The new ones are really hip! he said in a forced jovial voice
No. Fix it.
It will be ready tomorrow.

And so we resume our love-hate relationship.