We had just stopped for gas before heading home and when Matthew got back into his truck, I informed him, “Next stop, Verizon.”
He looked at me quizzically. “Phone crash,” was all I said. He knows me well, and knows I don’t like to be without a phone.
Well, I know I shouldn't be this bold, but I would like to say, I won’t EVER be without a phone. But I know better than to say something like that. In all reality, though, I feel like I absolutely cannot be without a phone so that my husband and my folks are able to get in touch with me at any given moment. For that reason, my phone never and I mean NEVER leaves my side. My folks had needed me one other time several years ago, and could not reach me. I vowed to never let that happen again.
Anyway, I didn’t panic when I saw my old phone had gone kaput. I
knew I had had a free upgrade for sometime now, and I was so thankful the crash
happened while already in town.The biggest downfall was loosing my contact list. If that is the most I have to worry about, that isn’t much. However, I did like that list! I had worked hard on it. I mean I had it exactly like I wanted it. I was just thinking the other day, how perfect it was. I know! How many people think about the perfection of their contact list? How can one not? I mean I had just about every person I know in there; I had my friends as well as a few of Matt’s friends. I had work contacts to reach both my husband and son if necessary. I had doctors for my family and folks; and bookstores; the Capitol and State Senators! Why, I even had the local movie theatre in there that I only attend about once every 5 years! But hey, if I want to know what’s playing when I hear of a movie that is coming out that I might be interested in, that was a pretty convenient number to have. Ahhh, the convenience was soooo nice!
I told Matt we should try the cellular store that was just up the street from where we were getting gas. We had been there before and did ok there. It would be quick and easy and then we could get back on our way.
We were greeted at the door immediately. Yey, I thought, we hit the right time of day to come: late afternoon, but before the after-work rush started. However, it didn’t take me but a moment to figure out, I wasn’t going to do very well here. When I told the clerk what I needed all was fine, but when I asked her about checking my plan, I sensed a bit of unwillingness from her. She tried to talk me out of it, saying she was sure I wouldn’t do any better. She started talking about a bunch of stuff, I didn’t really need to know.
"Well wait a minute," I countered…"I just need to know [such and such]"…and I explained what I needed to know. (I will spare you the details) She balked, and then she lied. I knew she had lied, and that was, in fact, confirmed later.
“You know, I am just not in the right frame of mind to do this right now”, I told her. And then we left. I guess I lied too, because I really wanted to tell her. “I reallllllly am NOT going to work with you. I'm outta here!”
But on top of all that, I had frustrated Matt. I felt bad I had done that and I explained as we headed out the door. "I can't work with someone I don't trust. I'm sorry," I whispered.
“Let’s go up to the main store,” I told him when we got in the car. “That just wasn’t working for me.”
I got greeted right away at the next store, too. A nice looking young man with a big smile welcomed me. “What can I do for you?” he asked.
I sensed right away it was going to be different this time…I don’t know, but I always just sense attitudes. I think that’s common when one is paying careful attention.
I told the young man what I needed, “But,” I said, “I have a few questions, first.”
“Great!” he said. “Well come on over here and we will look at everything.”
This is better already, I thought to myself. Matt had dropped me off and gone up to run another errand. We knew this would take a while and he would have time to do that.
The young man talked me through everything, always with a smile and even a joke or two. I was well-pleased by the time Matt got back. Then they connected as well. We started talking about any number of things. God, politics; kids and the way they should be raised; the way he was raised.
I was absolutely loving this kid by now. Where did you come from? I asked him meaning “you are not fitting into this world” kind of question rather than where he was from geographically. He had already told us that;
But he already knew what I had meant when I said it, and so did Matthew. And we all got a good laugh when Matthew said. “He already told you,
At some point I told him he needed to get into politics. So, if you know me, that will give you an idea of his beliefs. “I have heard that many times before,” he laughed. "There is NO way!"
The next thing I knew he was making Norwegian jokes. I could have been knocked over with a feather. “You are one of us! That’s what we do!” I exclaimed as I explained our little family tradition. But what I really wanted to say, was, “Can you come home for dinner, tonight?”
Anyway, before we were done, I had just the right phone for me, with a correction in my plan. “I couldn’t retrieve your contacts,” he told me. “I’m really sorry.” And I could tell he meant it. “That’s important after all.”
Matthew also picked up a new phone while we were there. His had not been working properly either.
“However, I was able to save all 355 of your girlfriends, though,” he told Matt. “But you need 10 more, there are 365 days in the year, ya know.”
I looked bewildered and our rep noticed. Sorry he told me, I couldn’t resist.
“It’s ok,” I responded, “I didn’t ‘get it’ anyway.” (I hadn't really been listening just then, Matthew had to explain later.)
He laughed good-naturedly. But when Matt told him my lack of understanding was due to the fact that: “She’s Norwegian,” our new friend doubled over in full belly laughter. Just as if he was one of us! Honestly! It was so much fun!
Oh and by the way, I found out that sure enough the female clerk at the first store had indeed lied to me about the number of minutes our family had been using. It was a lie of 3 times as many minutes as what the truth was. I had had a pretty good idea she had pegged me for a fool that didn’t know what I was doing. Our new rep. though, treated us with respect and with a servant attitude…like family would treat family. We had sure enough been blessed with a successful shopping experience due to this young man.
“Do you get paid on commission?” I asked him as we left.
“Yes”, he said sheepishly.
“I don’t mean to be nosy,” I explained. “I just want to come to you every time, now. You are the best I have ever dealt with in the cellular world. EVER!
He beamed when I said that, but I suspect he has heard it before. He was that good! There was already a lady in line waiting for some time to see only him! He understands loyalty and service. I believe simply because he cared, and treats people…like he is "one of us".
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