@Adrian I think that had you been with me yesterday you would have seen a funny mix of American in Bulgaria shopping---that was clearly the case when I decided to begin touching cellphones and set off the alarm. No other Bulgarians touched them for the record and after my incident I looked to see if there were any signs about not touching them. There were not. But the part that you would have been proud of/or laughed at was when two big Bulgarian men tried to cut in front of me when it was finally my turn. I looked at the sales clerk he looked at me and I slid right in front of the Bulgarians who were trying to edge their way in. 

As for not having a new phone, oh well. I guess it's a good way to save some money. Wasn't that also an element of the planned economy--forced savings?