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Apology to the Guy at the Best Buy (This Time, the One in the Cell Phone Department)

February 21, 2008 11:24 PM

acknowledge that I owe you an apology, Guy at the Best Buy, but let me explain my side of the story first.

My phone contract with my current company is about to run out. That means I get to buy a new phone, which, for someone as obsessed with technology as me, is just way too fun. I was extremely excited to see, then, that Best Buy has the Blackberry Curve on sale for $80. That's a fucking bargain. But here's the rub, Guy at the Best Buy: my contract with Alltel, my current cell-phone people, doesn't expire until March 9th. So if your sale doesn't go on until at least then, I'm fucked.

So I called you up, Guy at the Best Buy. And after asking to speak to you, I was put on hold. Then some guy in digital imaging answered. Then I asked to speak to you again. Then I was on hold for five minutes. Then you hung up on me. So I called again and, after telling the guy that answered that "some jackass" had just hung up on me, I got to speak to you.

You seemed competent enough--you knew exactly what phone I was talking about, and you could tell me when the sale would be over: two days from today. I was fucked. I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the sale price. That sucked, but it wasn't your fault. And I didn't blame you.

So then I asked the next logical question, Guy at the Best Buy. I asked what the normal, nonspecial price of the phone was. And that's when you really started to piss me off. See, you told me that you didn't know. And when I asked if you could find out, you told me that you couldn't. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Unfortunately, I can't access that information on the computer. I'm not authorized." See, now I was pissed. How is it possible that you don't know what something's going to cost two days from now? I mean, seriously!

But I kept my cool. I asked if you could perhaps ask someone else. And you grudgingly did. And came back and explained that no one knew. (By the way, I heard your conversation with that other guy. I heard the derision in your voice. And it hurt, man.) And now I was really pissed. "Is there some manager that would know?" I asked. "No, no one in the store has any idea," you replied.

So, you see, I was frustrated and disappointed and, I think you'll agree, justifiably so. And I was also angry. Still, it was completely out of line for me to repeatedly insist that you say "No one at the Best Buy has any idea what the hell we're doing" out loud in front of customers. I mean, I give you credit for indulging me and admitting that, in fact, you had no idea what the hell you were doing as far as cell phones. But I--selfishly--wasn't satisfied. I kept insisting that you say that exact phrase: "No one at the Best Buy has any idea what the hell we're doing" out loud on the phone.

That was wrong of me, and I apologize.



12 Comments


Who? said:

When you go down to the store to exact your revenge, make sure you wear dark colored clothes. A black trench coat would be hot.

February 22, 2008 1:13 PM



Ismael Tapia II said:

Hey now, I didn't say anything about revenge. Considering that I'm posting this from my new phone, I feel pretty good.

February 22, 2008 1:54 PM



Santi said:

My iPhone > your Blackberry.

February 22, 2008 5:14 PM



Vice said:

Ismael, Ismael... you know, I'm totally down with the righteous indignation. I'm totally down with calling people out for their incompetence. But then you go out of your way to embarass them... it's funny, of course (since it's not me), but... eh. At least you recognize you may have gone too far. I'm just waiting for the day this happens in court. Again, it will be hilarious, but when you get held in contempt, don't think you're charging that to the firm account.

February 23, 2008 12:01 AM



TheExpat said:

I say stick it to 'em. Best Buy sucks, their employees are incompetant and they never hire enough of them anyway. What you said rocks. I will defend it with all my heart, even after you have forsaken it with a phoned-in apology.

...and ah proudly STAND UP! [stands up] Next to you and defend her still today...

oh, gosh. I just got all teary-eyed. You RULE!

February 23, 2008 7:52 AM



Ismael Tapia II said:

Santi,
I can think of several ways in which your iPhone > my Blackberry:

Cost:
iPhone > Blackberry

Lame nonphysical keyboard:
iPhone > Blackberry

Lack of built-in GPS:
iPhone > Blackberry

Overratedness:
iPhone > Blackberry

I will fully admit that the iPhone is wicked cool and that, given an unlimited budget, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I do not have an unlimited budget, and there is just no way I could ever justify spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 for a phone after two-year-contract discount. And, seeing as how I got my Blackberry for about $100 after mail-in rebate, and it has GPS, which is awesome because I can use it for geocaching, I'm very satisfied. The iPhone might be better in some areas, but there's no way that, overall, it's four times better.

Mr. Vice,
I don't think this one's as bad as other things I've done, but I did feel kinda bad. I mean, I was more angry at the system than the man, and so I shouldn't have taken it out on him.

And I know better than to do this in court. The only appropriate way to handle this kind of shit in court is with live tigers. I know that, don't worry.

Mr. Expat,
Your support means the world to me. :)

February 23, 2008 9:22 AM



morenonesense said:

That was some serious channeling of a Mr. Budolfson.

February 23, 2008 12:48 PM



butterflyfish said:

>> The only appropriate way to handle this kind of shit in court is with live tigers. I know that, don't worry.


This is exactly why I just moved you out of "recent grads" and into Lawyers on my blogroll. Which is seriously a more meaningful accomplishment than actually graduating, passing the bar, and opening up your own office. You'd better feel duly honored.

February 23, 2008 3:20 PM



albertreynolds said:

That really is beyond the kind of thing that a reasonable person would do, no matter how angry. You would have to be a huge asshole to do something like that.

February 23, 2008 5:53 PM



Lauren said:

The line between Mr. Budolfson and Mr. Ismael was always a little thin.

February 23, 2008 6:55 PM



Dee said:

Agreed Lauren, though there is a major difference in the manner of delivery. Ismael, you guys should take Budolfson on as an honorary partner in case there are any witnesses in need of badgering.

February 23, 2008 10:49 PM



Ismael Tapia II said:

Mr. Morenononsense,
Yeah, I guess. That actually hadn't occurred to me.

butterflyfish,
I am honored!

Mr. Reynolds,
I do not contend that what you are saying is incorrect.

Lauren,
Come on, it wasn't that thin.

Dee,
Now we're just getting unreasonable. Still, I can think of worse things than being compared to Mr. Budolfson.

Honestly, though, picture this progression. First, picture Mr. Budolfson as a lawyer cross-examining a witness. That would be pretty good. Now imagine the same scene, only the witness is a hippie who thinks that feelings are more important than reasons. Better, right? Now imagine that Mr. Budolfson is very angry at the witness for personal reasons. That would be a pretty awesome scene, right? Now picture this: everything is the same as in the last hypothetical, but Mr. Budolfson has had three 32 ounce High Lifes. Tell me that wouldn't be the best thing ever to happen in a courtroom.

February 24, 2008 1:31 AM



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