Life. Saving. Service. ...No, I mean *literally*.
I'm an OTR trucker, and have just returned home from the one of the biggest "adventures" of my life...truly, I nearly lost my life (both figuratively AND literally), in the course of a week. This run was the highway equivalent of Gilligan's Island: I departed Los Angeles on a simple 2-day delivery up to Oregon and back...and then the fecal matter hit the air-circulation device, and I barely made it home, a full week later.
Imagine you're far from home, driving on an unfamiliar highway...and your phone suddenly dies. I don't mean the battery loses power, I mean your entire [$850 piece-of-doodoo iPhone 7+ (which has given me problems since the very-first day I had the displeasure of owning it)] phone gives up the electronic ghost, with no warning whatsoever; one moment displaying GPS navigation, and the next, a black screen, a non-functional Home button...and a rapidly-heating case. (@.@)
FRIENDLY ADVICE: "don't keep all your eggs in one basket". In other words, "do NOT keep all your vital information in your phone"; unless of course, you have other devices from which to access said vital info.
I'd asked myself the question many times before this: "What happens if your piece of junk ("jPhone") dies??" And frankly, the answer is tragic: your life suddenly spirals downward, as it circles the existential drain in ever tighter and faster circles.
Sure, that perhaps sounds a bit dramatic to you, but then again, you're most likely not a truck driver. See, in addition to relying on my jPhone for communication (not just talking, texting and emails, but also the storage of contact numbers, which few people store in their brains), my phone is also my Navigation as I span the nation; my camera to document the amazing things I get to see along the way; my music source when I'm in areas with no radio coverage; and most importantly, it tracks my Federally-regulated Hours of Service driving log...without which, I'm forbidden to drive!
So yeah, I suddenly found myself wayyy up Doodoo Creek, waylaid and worried, stranded in Redding, California (okay...why does everyone make that face, whenever "Redding" is mentioned?).
It sucked. It was cold. I couldn't drive anywhere (nor could I call for a ride). Not only was I unable to make my Delivery appointment in Oregon, my company had no idea where I was. I didn't have anyone's telephone number written down anywhere, so even if I could've FOUND a payphone (it's a real thing, Millennials -- consult Google), I wouldn't have been able to call anyone. And without knowing the area, I didn't know where the nearest Apple Store was located [Sacramento or Portland, it turns out].
I had been served-up a heaping bowl of CRAPSAUCE.
And as hopeless as my situation appeared, like it's written in the Biblical book of Revelation, this was merely "the beginning of woes"...but that's another story.
The only option I could conceive of, was to buy ANOTHER jPhone 7, and hope that a quick SIM swap would have me back in business. So, I spent the afternoon walking back-n-forth between Best Buy (twice), the AT&T store (thrice), WalMart (surprisingly-few WalMartians there that day), and Target [and a very-special Thanks to the quite-beautiful blonde employee who graciously allowed me to use the cordless phone at the Customer Service Counter...then disappeared into the sunset, before I could properly thank her], in an attempt to find a replacement phone.
"G E T O N W I T H I T ! !"
Right...sorry. You're not reading this for the experience I had at any of those places; you're wondering about my experience at In & Out Speed Repair.
So yes, amidst the frustration and despair my unfortunate situation was causing me, I did find myself in the In & Out Repair center, being assisted by a straightforward and considerate guy named Tucker. He assessed my phone, and although he had various used phones available to sell, none was going to be an acceptable replacement for my jPhone. I do appreciate his honesty (it's a real thing, Millennials -- consult Google). However, short of selling me a refurb phone, he did assist me in retrieving some vital contact information, which enabled me to make contact with my company to advise them of the situation. Honestly, the 20 minutes I spent with Tucker were more productive than the 20 hours I spent stranded in Redding. In the middle of a crisis, he was a shining beacon of helpfulness. Yup, sounds cheesy, and it ain't eloquent, but there it is.
So the moral of my story is: Tucker is my hero. #nuffsaid read more