Phone, Home

The waiting is finally over.

It began the second full week of September. While visiting my family I realized my phone was beginning to stop holding a charge- hardly surprising, since it’s several years old. Since I usually keep my phone plugged it, it was more an inconvenience than anything else. But knowing the world was the way it was, I went ahead and ordered new phones for Krystal and me.

Somehow, despite my phone company sending me bills each month, they couldn’t put my full address on the shipping label. I only found out when my package wasn’t delivered, and despite my phone number being on the shipping information and calling both the phone and shipping service, I could neither have the address corrected nor the package held at a shipping location for pickup. Within minutes it had been marked undeliverable and “return to sender” initiated.

I had to wait ten days for the package to be accepted by the phone company and I placed a new order with a representative to make sure the correct address was on the label.

We were able to use a “pick up in store” option for Krystal, but mine was unavailable. Then, the shipping kept getting delayed . . . and delayed . . . and delayed.

The last time I checked on it was the week of thanksgiving. I was told it would ship in two days. Something tickled my brain and I asked to verify the address. Once again, it was wrong and could not be changed. However, I could have it held as the shipping distribution center for pickup.

That turned out to be moot as, after the new year, I still had no phone. By this point there was a 75% chance the phone wouldn’t charge when plugged in, and unplugging it immediately dropped the battery percentage to 60 or less.

And so I spent several hours on the phone and finally got answers. Either the second representative had really messed things up or the system had. First, the system had said there should be two phones in the order and was waiting for Krystal’s phone – which we’d picked up when we ordered it.

This was changed sometime in late October to reflect only my phone was in the order, but then they tried to charge me the full phone amount when I had signed up for a payment plan. I rejected the charge because I hadn’t authorized it and the company said they didn’t do it, so I also classified it as fraud and changed my bank card.

Since payment was declined the order was changed from in-progress to pending, but I was never informed of the change.

Then they told me the phones were on back order.

“Interesting,” I said, “because when we began this conversation you said they were in stock and couldn’t understand why I hadn’t received my order.”

Oh, I meant your color is backordered.

“Great, give me what’s in stock. Color doesn’t make it work any different and I’m colorblind as it is.”

It’ll be to you in two days.

And indeed, two days later I received a notification my package was out for delivery. except it also said a signature was required, and I was working (which only happens 3 Saturdays a year). Thankfully it hadn’t been attempted delivery by the time I made it home.

However, I didn’t know when it would arrive, and so I stayed by the door and watched the delivery app for the truck’s location. At a little after 7:00 PM, I was the last delivery of the day and I was outside the door waiting for him.

It took two hours to transfer my data and reinstall all my apps – but know I have a phone that won’t shut off if I try to text Krystal.