The Tale of the Phone...Conclusion

** Before I start - a very HAPPY birthday to my BFF Lynnette!! Love you, girl! Hope today is filled with much more joy and much less drama than the post you're about to read! **

If you missed yesterday's post, you must go back and read. This will make no sense without it.

I dug out a phone bill, found the number for the company and dialed. I made it through the obstacle course of a menu and was told my call was very important and would be answered in the order it was received.

Someone actually answered immediately, but she was not very clear in her command of the English language. Normally I have a pretty high tolerance for that, but by that time I was exhausted from a busy week, HUNGRY from a lack of dinner, and trying not to panic about the prospect of purchasing a seven hundred dollar phone. Oh. And she called me Mrs. Freelan, too. Not her best move. I (kindly as I could) unloaded the entire story on her - starting with the original faulty phone.

At one point she interrupted my story to tell me my current broken phone was still under warranty and she could send me a replacement free of charge. I did honestly appreciate that and under any other circumstance would have gratefully taken it, but I explained to her I needed the smart phone for my new job.

By the end of my explanation, I was fighting back tears and said in utter desperation, "I just don't know what to do. I mean should I just pay the termination fee and go somewhere that sells a more affordable phone?"

These were the words delivered to me in somewhat broken English, straight off a script card (causing me to inwardly giggle): Because you have threatened to ter-mee-nate your service, I am now authorized to transfer you to a loyalty specialist.

About three more times she told me, Mrs. Freelan, that she was only transferring me because of my threats.

Seriously? I don't believe threatened is the appropriate word here. I questioned whether or not to remain. I threatened no one.

Nevertheless, she put me on hold (while I knew she was telling someone about mad girl, line one). It's not my first dance with mad people. I know how this gig goes. Except I'm usually on the other end of the line.

A truly lovely woman came on the line and said she could help me. She also asked if she could call me by my first name. (I know it was a calming tactic, but at that point anything was preferable to being called Mrs. Freelan.)

I explained the entire story to her and at the end she said, "Well I can see from our records that you have been with us for eleven years, you've never even had a late fee, which is unheard of in our industry, and you've never asked for an exception before."

That's because I pay my bills and I don't believe in asking for exceptions.

She said she was authorized to offer me a smart phone for upgrade price as long as it wasn't any of the 4G phones.

Guess what I'd picked out?

Yep. Good ole 4G.

So she helped me pick a new phone...figured up my bill...the whole nine yards.

I asked if I could go in to the store as early as the next day to get said phone (because by this time it was 20 minutes until the store closed, and I didn't want to be that customer that shows up at closing time for an hour long appointment).

Oh I'm sorry. This has to be shipped to you. I can have it there by Saturday. It will come FedEx and someone will have to sign for it.

Of course. And that would be the day I have to attend baby shower out of town. SPLENDID!!!

I started praying on the spot to be part of Mr. FedEx's early morning route. (Side note. He arrived at 9:49 a.m. and I got up off the floor where I'd slept the entire night to make sure I didn't miss his arrival, should he get there while I was still sleeping.)

I honestly did appreciate her help. She was wonderful and patient. But oh my goodness. After all this, I feared I would be too tired to text when I could! Here's to hoping the smart phone holds up for the entire time it should...