It's a Smart Suggestion...Do you...

[NateTheChops]

A: Take the suggestion?
B: Stare at the cashier and the Service Desk clerk who gave it to you like a gormless twit?

If you chose "A" then congratulations. You're a functional human being.


The Story:

A woman comes through my line. About two customers back she's fiddling with her Iphone and bragging to her friend about how cool it is and that she was able to afford it even though she gets a check every month from the government because of her Fibromyalgia.

So she finally gets to my line and as I'm ringing it up she starts telling me about her Iphone all the while playing with all of it's features.

I polietely ring her up, make small talk, the usual and send her on her way. About five minutes later she comes back to my register as I'm ringing someone else out.

Iphone lady = IPL
Me = The Artist Suffering for his Craft

IPL: Did you see my Iphone?
Me: *Looking all over my checkout area while still ringing out other customer* No, I'm sorry, I didn't.
IPL: I left my Iphone somewhere. This was the last place I remember it.
Me: *thinking*Oh, no. *Outloud* I'm sorry, it's no where here and I'm sure someone would have handed it to me if they found it.

Mind you I have absoultely no faith in humanity and I am completely doubtless that if I were to drop a 300 dollar Iphone even for a second on the counter of my store I would lose it almost immediately. I really did feel bad for the customer. She started looking at the magazine rack and around the floor, lest she dropped it.

When I was done ringing up my customer I went into my pocket to get my cellphone, thinking I would call her phone and see if we could hear it ringing. Unfortunately, there is a store policy in place that says I'm not even supposed to have my cellphone on me when I'm on the clock.

Me: If you go to the service desk they can call the phone from there.
IPL: *Stares at me blankly then leaves the store*
Me: *thinking* Okay...

A few minutes later she comes back into the store. The lady on the service desk walks back towards my register with her and helps her try to find the Iphone in the exact same places. I'm more than certain that the Iphone is not here and with it's very loud blue covering I'm pretty sure I would notice it if it was near me.

IPL: I know I left it here somewhere.
Service Desk Lady: (SDL) Well, I don't see it here, I'm sorry.

IPL walks away again.

Me: SDL, I suggested she call her phone from yours.
SDL: That's a good idea.

But before the idea could be implemented IPL left the store yet again. But not before returing to the store to look, you guessed it, near my register. It was really almost like she was accusing me of stealing it and/or hiding it. But fine.

SDL asks me to go and round up the carts in the parking lot. Since IPL is still looking for the phone, I decided this would give me a loophole opportunity to use my cellphone since I was outside and helping a customer.

Me: What's your phone number?
IPL: *Gives me phone number and I dial it while she returns to her car where her friend is waiting.*
Me: *Hearing the Bad to the Bone suddenly* Ma'am! By any chance are your Ringtones set to Bad to the Bone?
IPL: *Calling back* No!
Me: *Still hearing that distinct ringtone coming from one of the shopping carts* Are you absolutely certain that Bad to the Bone is not on your phone as your ringtone?
IPL: *Comes back towards me* Well, my sister set it up, so I don't know.

Okay. The only phone number I dialed was hers and when I dialed it again and followed it to the the flap in the seat of the shopping cart, lo and behold, there it was!

IPL was so relieved. Of course this could have all been solved if she had just had the service desk ring her phone like myself and Service Desk Lady suggested to her.

Damn, I'm underpaid.

[MsCrankypants]

Wow. Just...wow.

My first instinct when I misplace my own iPhone is to call it using another phone, or if I'm within spitting distance of a computer, using that computer to track it down via MobileMe (it's kind of neat, except when your phone is buried at the bottom of a big purse somewhere inside your house - unfortunately, MobileMe can't get THAT specific!). But then again, I'm not a complete moron.

I accidentally left my phone sitting on a bar after getting a little TOO happy on some Happy Hour margaritas with my co-workers. Fortunately, I noticed it like 5 seconds after I stepped outside the restaurant, so I ran back in to get my phone (even more fortunately, it was exactly where I'd left it, probably thanks to the little pouch I keep it in - it's not obvious from the outside of the pouch what it is). It took me a minute to find it in the darkened bar, but I didn't make the employees search and search again for it. I took the responsibility for that on myself, and I brought my friend's phone in with me to call my own phone with. It all worked out in the end.

[Mr Hero]

If I were in this situation, I would not have used my personal phone to find the SC's phone. Wouldn't want to risk SC's having access to your personal number.

[MsCrankypants]

My dad has the caller ID on his cellphone blocked. Funny thing, though, I always know it's him (on the rare occasion he calls me, given I barely speak to him - long story) because he's the only person I know who has his caller ID blocked.

[NateTheChops]

If I were in this situation, I would not have used my personal phone to find the SC's phone. Wouldn't want to risk SC's having access to your personal number.

Well, my number's on my business cards any how so it's not like I'm terribly worried about people possibly calling me at random.

[Sliceanddice]

...... is it sad that all i can think of now is that one pilot of that show usa scrapped about the girl who finds out her father is a hitman?

[MsCrankypants]

Also, Nate...it just hit me that your OP mentioned how she's collecting public benefits of some sort. I'm sure social services would be interested in finding out how she can afford an iPhone. Especially when it's almost a dead certainty that she'll be permanently losing that phone shortly and might need a new one to replace it.

[Geek King]

...... is it sad that all i can think of now is that one pilot of that show usa scrapped about the girl who finds out her father is a hitman?

It can't be any worse than the show about the psychic with dwarfism who roamed the country showing off his powers: They wanted to call it Small Medium at Large.

[Flying Grype]

If she gets a certain amount per month, can't she allocate how to spend it as long as she's getting her bills and rent and food paid for first?

[Andara Bledin]

Since it's based on a medical condition, the how of where the money goes is largely irrelevant.

Besides, this is about how someone is too stupid to be allowed to own a $300 phone.

The bosslady's daughter left hers on the counter at the AT&T store, and it was gone by the time she realized what had happened. Then again, she is also the one who is too lazy to figure out how the hell to read a map because she figures she'll just charm her way through life. She's in for a rude surprise when it comes down that she's not nearly cute or charming enough to make it without having a name, too. Then again, she might meet some rich guy who's every bit as shallow and willfully-stupid as she is, and they'll deserve each other.

^-.-^

[earl colby pottinger]

The Amazing Race

She is also the one who is too lazy to figure out how the hell to read a map because she figures she'll just charm her way through life.

This is one of the reasons I love watching The Amazing Race. Every season there seems to be a couple of girls thinking they can win because of their looks.

It always seems to come as a shock to them when they end up in a country where their looks are not considered attractive or after the half way point that a million dollars means more to the guys than help a competitor no matter what their looks.

[NateTheChops]

Besides, this is about how someone is too stupid to be allowed to own a $300 phone.
^-.-^

That's what it comes down to really. I don't even care so much how she paid for it because on the one hand a phone pretty much a need in this society. And a cellphone can come in handy during a medical emergency, so I certainly don't begrudge someone fitting a phone into their budget. (Will discuss it in Fratching if anyone wants to take it there)

But what got me the most was how she was playing with it like it was a toy. I mean, I like playing with the features on my phone and any new "toy" I get. But not in a busy store where the possibility of me losing it could come up. Certainly not a phone that seems to get even more expsensive from the moment it's purchased, if what I've heard about the Iphone is anything to go by.

[MsCrankypants]

But what got me the most was how she was playing with it like it was a toy. I mean, I like playing with the features on my phone and any new "toy" I get. But not in a busy store where the possibility of me losing it could come up. Certainly not a phone that seems to get even more expsensive from the moment it's purchased, if what I've heard about the Iphone is anything to go by.

I mess around with my iPhone a lot (hey, there are some fun apps out there), but I never let it stray too far out of my sight, with the exception of the close call mentioned upthread (which would have been totally my fault - I was intoxicated and careless, never a good combination).

That lady's setting herself up for trouble. Not only is she careless with it, she strikes me as the type of person who'd whip the phone out anywhere and everywhere just to show it off, and that's an invitation to get mugged for your iPhone right there.