what you appreciate when you i-phone breaks
Photo courtesy of CNET
It was a day like any other last week. The kids and I were leaving the Cary Library and approaching the car when my phone, which I was carrying, slipped and fell to the ground.
This has happened many times before with nary a scratch…likely due to the case I have.
This time the entire screen shattered.
As I ran my finger across the screen, I could feel the cracks on the screen and it felt like I might have little cuts on my finger tips at any time.
The phone was not going to be useable. I would have to get a new screen.
Expense was not a concern, time was a little bit more of a concern but getting an appointment at the Apple Genius Bar was a grave concern. This happened on a Wednesday and the soonest appointment they could give me was a Sunday.
That was not going to work.
So I decided to trek (and it is a hike) over to the Apple store and throw myself on the mercy of the Apple court.
And yes, the store is in a big mall and yes, it’s Christmas time and yes, ugh!
But my plan was to be one of the first customers of the day and see how that would go…maybe they could fit me in. Hope is not a plan but it can be an option.
The store hours on the web said they store opened at 10:00 am so I got to the mall at 9:30 a.m. As I walked towards the store, I saw the doors already opened and only a few people inside (Christmas hours, I soon learned).
I was approached by an Apple employee and explained my dilemma (I decided at the outset not to hand in my man card and start crying….yet). They could help me and they would help me now, he said. They would give me a new screen. That day.
#winning
I would have to wait about 90 minutes (a reasonable amount of time for someone with no appointment, I thought). Since I was NOT about to give up my prime, early arriver parking spot by leaving the busy mall and coming back at a busier time, I decided I would get some more exercise by walking the mall.
Realizing that there was almost nothing else besides a broken iphone that could get me to a mall during the Christmas season, I started to think as I walked, taking in all surroundings and the people around me.
Being in the mall, I realized an number of things I was grateful for. Here’s my list that exclude obvious things like family, home, health and job (which I am eternally grateful for everyday).
• A super close parking space
• I am thankful for the employees of the Apple store – their attitude is so positive and helpful almost always; they remind me of two other companies where I get that same feeling: Publix Grocery Stores and Enterprise Rental Cars (I don’t know how these companies profile their employees but they do a great job of finding really customer-centric people)
• I am appreciative of the designers of the Christmas decorations at the Crabtree Valley Mall — the trees and sleighs were really great….maybe it’s the same stuff they do every year but it was new to me and I thought it looked swell (I couldn’t take a picture because of…well, you know)
• It was also nice not having an i-phone and not being connected…if you need me, well, you’ll have to fend for yourself for a while; I’ll survive and so will you
• I am so glad I don’t work in retail for so many reasons, the top 2 being I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with Christmas shoppers and I don’t think sales are going well in many stores which means jobs will be cut
• Similarly I’m glad I don’t work for mall companies…there are so many empty, closed stores inside so many malls because so many retailers are closing their doors…and I think come Q1 2018, more stores will announce they are closing
• On a positive retail note, in my city, Apple is moving their current store within the mall to a much bigger space in the same mall which must bring a major sigh of relief to the mall owners
• I am pleased that there are gentlemen willing to dress up and play Santa at malls….it thrills the children (well most of them anyway) to meet Santa and their excitement is invigorating to the soul
• A super close parking space
My phone was fixed and life went on, with thanks.
