BEST BUY REDEMPTION

The dust has settled. My urge to set fire to the world has been quelled. Best Buy executives can slip on their bunny slippers and get a good night’s sleep tonight. Why?

They sent their Big Gun, their Ace, their Fixer. They sent a woman, and I’m not complaining.

For those of you who read my Best Buy rant from a few days ago, the rant in which happy endings were nonexistent, I now offer a denouement that is far more satisfying, at least for me, if not the world at large.

Recap (for those unacquainted with this tale, you can read it in its sweeping glory here):

Bought new computer from Best Buy online.

Picked it up at Best Buy incarnate.

Monitor broken.

Returned broken monitor to store.

Horrendous runaround commenced.

Aggravation, stomping, teeth grinding, bitter laughter, sword fights, grunting, snack breaks, jell-o wrestling, high speed chases, more snack breaks, cartwheels.

I won…?

….At the close of that day, I had a complete computer system again, everything worked wonderfully, and the money I had forked over had been spooned back. I went to sleep.

Well, before I went to sleep, I wrote my rant. Then I sent links to my rant to two contacts at Best Buy online. Within 48 hours (I think), I had some responses.

The credit department of Best Buy assured me some $$ would be plunking into my account. It did. Today. I smiled.

I also received a voicemail from the Best Buy Fixer. She sounded sweet, and cuddly, and very open to dialogue. So I called her back. I wasn’t disappointed.

She offered an apology on behalf of Best Buy for the nonsensical runaround to which I’d been subjected. By that point, the sting had lessened, but to speak to a real person with real sympathy was an even finer salve to my healing wounds.

Today I received another call from the Fixer. She enjoyed my rant so much that she (and Best Buy) decided to offer me a free printer to go with my spiffy new computer.

I must admit, I blushed a little. And I accepted the offer. I’m picking it up at the store tomorrow.

The moral to this story?

Open your mouth. Make some noise. If you’re not happy, let it be known. Let it be known on your website. Let it be known on Twitter. Let it be known in bathroom stalls, and on the sides of hapless livestock. Let it be known at the breakfast table. Let it be known in bed while your significant other is sleeping. Let it be known so loud it wakes them up and they piss themselves.

Open your mouth. Let it be known.

At the end of the day, we’re still just people trying to make our way. People. We’re still just people playing in a giant sandbox.

I won’t thank Best Buy (that would be like thanking McDonald’s) but I will thank the good souls that exist within the machine. It’s heartening to know you’re out there.

Maybe it’s just your job, but I’d like to imagine it’s something more. Imagine with me. Make it real.

Thank you. Thank you, Fixer.