Blogger 365 Day 341 - A wireless Christmas

     So I am at work today, which is nothing unusual, I am at work most days, but today being Christmas Eve there was a certain amount of imperativeness to my day.  While the store itself was slow, I had deadline to meet, as both my grocery order and the bank run had to be done by noon, because the bank was closing early.

     Running around wasn't the highlight of my day however, rather it was what happened while I was at the bank.  I was playing with my phone while our deposits were were being counted when all of a sudden my phone shut off.  Now I have had problems with my phone before, nothing major, just things like the screen freezing when I am checking Facebook.  Because I never really wanted a cell phone to begin with, when the boss finally forced me to get one, I got the cheapest one I could find, a little flip phone from Verizon, so I never thought much when the screen would freeze up, which would happen maybe once a month.  And while this looked to be a new problem, I hoped I could resolve the problem the same way, taking the battery out, waiting a minute and putting it back in.  So I tried that, but the phone wouldn't get past the initial Verizon screen before shutting off again. 

     The next thought was maybe the battery just died.  While I had charged my phone earlier this week and it usually holds a charge for at least 3 days (I rarely use it, save for work calls mostly) I do now that sometimes I will here beeping when the phone is in my pocket, usually from my keys or something bumping into the side of it, so I thought maybe something was nestled against the phone in my pocket that had kept it on since I had spoke to Ed earlier that day.  The only way to know that though would be to try and charge my phone and I couldn't do that until I got home. 

     I get home early, at least early for me these days meaning I got home around 4pm, I come in the door and try plugging the phone in but still nothing, the phone will not even take a charge.  Now I admit that my phone is a crappy phone, but I did buy insurance with it so if anything happened to it from a damage standpoint it could be replaced for free.  Ed hated that part of my cell phone package, and given the store pays my bill (part of my deal in getting a phone in the first place) but now I was thinking it just might come in handy.  First though I wanted to see if it could be fixed, luckily there is a Verizon store just up the street from my apartment, so I walked up there, explained my problem.  They tested it with one of their chargers, it still didn't work and proceeded to tell me I would have to come home and call Verizon customer service.  I am sure if I would have had one of those tricked out phones with all kinds of bling or was looking to buy a $200 tablet, then they could have helped me, but since I was looking to fix or replace a $40 crap phone, then I would be treated like a black man looking for a fair shake from a cop. 

     So I come home and do a quick search on my iPad and find a chat window with Verizon customer service.  I explain my problem, and the fact I was just at the store and after about a 10  minute chat I was told I had to call a certain number, select option 4 and they could help me.  So after jumping through some menus I finally get a human, explain my problem and the fact I am pretty sure I have insurance on my phone and they tell me I have to speak to someone else, someone on the tech support end of things.  Those keeping score, I am now on my fifth person trying to solve this problem, two in the store, one online chat and one on the phone so far.  Lucky me, 5 was the magic number as he told me the phone could be replaced at no charge, it would be sent out after our call and I should have it on Friday (though I am supposed to be home to sign for it and I work Friday so we shall see).  Of course I have to send back the broken one so it can be poked and prodded and have nasty things done to it, but the new phone is in transit.

     All this means is that I will not have a cell phone for Christmas, which is fine, I didn't want one to begin with, so while other can indulge in virgin births and saviors being born and what not, this is my Christmas miracle, a holiday without my cell phone ringing.