What Price Loyalty?

I'm cheap, at times painfully, absurdly cheap. It's all my dad's fault. I am not besmirching his memory in saying that. He's was notably, colossally, heralded-in-song-and-story cheap.

But this is about me.

I love my tech. I do. I sat on the couch the other night with two laptops, an iPad, and an iPhone all going. I was using them all.

So when Apple announced the new iPhone. I looked. I coveted. I looked a lot. Cause it's so pretty. Sooooo pretty. Space grey is the new black.

But I love my iPhone. I loved my Blackberry before it and was slow to part with it. But I would marry my iPhone. I would adopt my iPad, but I would marry my IPhone. I know we could live happily ever after.

And so the notion of divorcing my iPhone 4S to run away with a space grey 5S feels frivolous and disloyal. Plus, kids in college... I know I shouldn't spend money on a new pretty phone to replace a perfectly functioning and almost (but not quite! Shh!) equally pretty iPhone.

Of course, I do qualify for an upgrade. (Thanks Verizon!) That means the new phone is only $199. Not bad.

And my 4S, should I choose to part with it, is worth $200 in trade-in.

Now you're thinking, that's a no-brainer, right?

Well maybe that's how your brain works, not mine.

To be honest, there is a $30 activation fee that I didn't mention. Plus, the connector is different. At minimum, I'd need to buy one extra cord. $29. And a case. The case is important. A phone is an accessory and the outfitting of said accessory matters. A lot.

Which brings to mind my iPhone 4S with its snappy and oh-so-appropriate "The Great Gatsby" cover. One of my five favorite books. Original cover art (not some vaguely tacky art from the largely bad movie adaptation.) And now, the case is out of print.

Houston, we have a problem.

Despite the exceptional beauty of the 5S, it does require a case. Clearly, not just any case will do.

But. I found one. It's delightful. It's literate. It's a case I'd be proud to have you read and admire for the beauty of its language. I bought it. It's sitting on the kitchen table.

Empty.

The iPhone 5S is currently sold out.