Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Employee #277285608

My faith in humanity has been restored and I am in awe of what just happened...

The Scene:
Big Stone Lake in Ortonville, MN this July...I STUPIDLY brought my new iPhone onto the dock and accidently dropped it into the lake.

The Reaction:
Hysterical crying and jumping fully clothed into the lake. My heroic brother, Nathan, miraculously found the phone. We immediately put it into a rice bath...2 days later it was working.

The Inevitable:
I was told it wouldn't last forever, and that was true. One month later I had the black screen of death.

The Miracle:
I knew that water damage is not covered in replacing a phone. I knew that it would be $199.00 to replace. I did not know that employee #277285608 would show me Grace in a way that I had thought was non-existent.

Some people know that I LOATHE talking to customer service people...banks, phone companies, credit card people...I have been known to not go through the process of returning stuff because I feel like I have been screwed over just enough to be bitter. I feel like I have been ripped off, not heard, and just overall abused by "the system".

Today all faith was restored. I went into the Apple store ready to feel humiliated for dropping my phone in the lake and I was ready to say no to any sort of 'up sales' or promotions I feel like places like Apple would want to do to me.

But there he was employee #277285608. He listened to my silly story and then said: "You know what? I am going to give you this replacement phone for free. I like you, and I think you deserve to have your fee waved." I said, "Umm. I don't know what to say. Is this for real?" He said it was. I stood there wondering if there was a "catch". Would I have to buy something to receive this offer? Was it an offer, or a gift? What did I do to deserve this? I didn't say all of this, but I am sure my face was filled with questions...He said. "Seriously, it's free today." I told him I would refrain from hugging him or crying, both of which was really hard to do.

It gets better. (I know!) I had planned on returning a case I bought for Brian LAST Christmas and never got around to it...(refer to the above paragraphs for possible reasons why...) Another employee (I don't know his #) said that it was too late to exchange the case, but today he would make an exception. WHAT!? So, I got my new, super cute, iPhone case for free too. Amazing.
I grew up learning about what Grace is--it's something we don't earn or receive because we have done anything special...Today I saw this played out in a way that moved me deeply. I don't know why it all happened this way today, but I guess that's the beauty of it. I don't have to know. I just have to receive it and be grateful.


My picure of Grace. :)

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