Friday, December 4, 2009

Upper East Side


Standing online earlier today at the Verizon store to replace my battery wall charger I heard the following exchange and realizes why we as a society have gotten so much dumber and I blame reality television.


A 30’s woman, fairly well to do strolls into the Verizon store, bypassing the stupid computer sign-in-screen and walks right up to the technical service desk. Although there are people waiting behind her in line, she insists that she gets helped immediately.

Woman: I came here all the way from the Upper East Side, it’s an emergency. YOUR blackberry has stopped working and now I cannot get my text messages

Verizon Tech: Thank you for coming to Verizon can you please sign in as there is a procedure and a few people have been waiting to be helped

Woman: you don’t understand this is an emergency; I haven’t gotten my text messages

Verizon Tech: I understand, but there are procedu..

Woman: (completely ignoring him) so I look down and all of a sudden your blackberry has stopped working, it seems to be broken

TECH: (a bit confused but not wanting a scene): OK let me take a look

The woman hands over a blackberry which looks like it’s been through war in both Afghanistan and then spent some time in Iraq for good measure

Woman: these are very important text messages, I haven’t been able to read them for three days.. wait for five days and today is the first time I have been able to come down from the Upper East Side

TECH: (looking at the beat up phone) it looks like you have bigger issues than text-messages, tt looks like this phone is pretty beat-up, has it been dropped?

Woman: I am not sure why that is important when you realize how important it is that I get my text messages, I need you to go on your computer thing and get them

TECH: It doesn’t really work like that

Woman: I dont' think you understand I need you to facilitate me in getting these very important text messages.

TECH: well you will probably have to replace your phone as it seems to be finished and when you get a new phone the unread text messages will come to the new phone.

Woman: But how about the other ones? They are very important

TECH: We may be able to get those, what is your access code?

Woman: my brother has it

TECH: can we get in contact with him and get it?

Woman: how do you expect to do that when my blackberry doesn’t work?

TECH: do you know his number

Woman: why would I know his number it’s in my blackberry!

TECH: OK let’s see what we can do

Woman: (after 30 seconds) will you be able to go any faster, I am really very busy

TECH: I’m going as fast as I can

Woman: (sighing turns away and says) this is why I don’t leave the Upper East Side

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