My iPod Dilemma

Last Saturday, my iPod broke.  I was listening to it before I went to bed, turned it off and put it away when I was about to fall asleep.  I woke up the next morning, and it wouldn't turn on.  Completely unresponsive to everything I tried.  Unlocking it didn't work, restarting the software didn't work, charging it didn't work, nothing, nothing, nothing.  I don't know what could have happened overnight, it was working fine before and roughly eight hours later, it was broken.

Later that day, I went to Best Buy because my iPod is still under warranty (I got it about a year ago as a Christmas present).  Went to the Geek Squad counter, just waited in line, drowning in my misery.  I knew that I probably would never see my very little buddy ever again, that he would likely be replaced by another, newer one that possibly once belonged to someone else in a previous lifetime.  I said my final goodbyes as I got called up to the register.

The guy behind the counter looked fairly young, in his twenties, but like the stereotypical Geek Squad employee, he had the body of someone double, maybe even triple his age.  He was a big main in both height and width.  Yet what I liked about him was that he seemed legitimately interested in his job.  I wouldn't be surprised if he could fix most of that junk behind the counter himself.

I gave the man my iPod and he examined it very quickly.  I got right to the chase and told him about the problem, how the iPod was unresponsive, and about the warranty and all of that important stuff as he entered it into his computer.  I (well, my mom actually, because she's the one who bought the iPod for me) signed some papers, and also got the guy to print out another receipt of the purchase of the iPod.

The guy behind the counter informed me that it would take them (it was never quite specified) about two weeks for them to contact us back about the iPod.  He told me that I would most likely get a refurbished one back.

Thursday, today, Best Buy calls, the iPod is ready to be picked up whenever.  Thirty minutes later, I leave to go get my iPod, not to mention what little of a life I have, back.

The same man from Saturday is behind the register again, and he seemed to just barely recognize me.  I told him about the iPod and gave him the papers about the repair, and the man went in the back room.  He returns five minutes later with an iPod, in some black Best Buy box wrapped in plastic.  Inside was the iPod of course, with a new charger and set of headphones free of charge.  It also included a "QUICK START GUIDE" CD of little importance (everything is working fine for me so far, so...).  The guy mentioned that Apple usually just replaces broken products as opposed to repairing and returning your specific iPod.

I did get a new "refurbished" iPod that is so clean that if I didn't know any better, I would think it was a brand new one.  The serial number is 8M742WS5YMV.  I got a new, much better set of headphones to go with it, because the Apple headphones never stay in my ear.  These new headphones are made by Sony, cost over $50 and apparently are "STUDIO SOUND QUALITY".  Considering the fact that it's from Sony, I find that claim very easy to believe.

Oh, and on the way out, the lady behind the register got all suspicious when the computer said that the iPod cost $0.  She didn't see the 'refurbished' part right before the 'iPod' part.  *Sigh...*

In Loving Memory of my 80 GB iPod Classic, Serial Number 8L39HLMYMV

Rest in Peace