Hey Verizon, Can You Hear Me Now?

My cell phone has had some issues as of late. It stopped accepting a charge on Saturday, while I was out of town, so I had to take it in for service (or burial – to be determined) on Sunday.

Verizon closes at 6:00 on Sunday. I arrived a little before 6:00, pushing it for sure, but still there before they closed. As I walked through the door, a man rushed towards me saying, “We are closed. We’re closing, you’ll have to come back tomorrow at 9:00.”

I politely told him that I realized it was almost 6:00, but that my battery was completely dead and for some reason would not accept a charge. “It tells me that it’s plugged in and charging, but it doesn’t charge,” I explained. He all but physically pushed me outside of the store and said, “Yeah. You’ll just have to come back tomorrow. We’re closed. Maybe you can call customer service and go ahead and get a new one shipped to you.” I asked him how exactly he wanted me to call customer service, and he suggested I use my land line. I said, “Well that’s the thing. I don’t have a land line, and I live by myself and I really just need a battery – even if it’s for one night – so that my phone will work until I can come back here tomorrow.”

He suggested I go to a battery store located about a mile away, but added “I’m sure they close at 6:00, too.” He then repeated AGAIN that I would just have to come back in the morning. And at that moment, all my southern manners and charm officially left the building. “Oh, I’ll do that, hon. I will certainly do that. And, when I return, I will be sure to tell your manager how helpful you were. Count. On. That.”

Not only will I complain to his manager, I’m complaining to Verizon Corporate and anyone who will listen to me. Because here’s the thing: I am a loyal customer to Verizon. I didn’t jump ship when those fancy pants iPhones came out exclusively with AT&T. And also – because I know how annoying it can be when someone calls or appears at almost closing time and needs help with something. It’s no fun, and I’ve done my share of bitching about it before. But, if it’s 4:59 and someone walks in and needs my help – I help them. Because that’s the right thing to do. And also, it’s what I am paid to do. So, if a certain Verizon Wireless employee can’t help people out of kindness (while they are still being paid to), then perhaps they need another reminder called, “fear.”