An old, fat fool starts a log. Hope no-one minds

I said:
80 x 5
This last set was difficult, despite an heroic handoff from Jim. Maybe throttle back a tad next week. Maybe.

Fatpete said:Yesterday, at the Trafford centre, I entered an Apple store with the intention of purchasing a phone.

It was busy but at least they have their employees in uniform for easy identification purposes. One of these was handing a customer a small bag and bidding him farewell so I ambled over in his direction. He ignored me and started looking at his phone so I stopped at the opposite side of his table and started waving my arms about.

"Can I help?" he asked
"I do hope so" I answered, "I wish to buy a phone"
"I have to stay in this area" he advised "I cannot leave it"
I walked around to the table to a more sensible conversation distance "Are you tagged?" I enquired
"Not in the way you mean" he answered "but I cannot leave this area, how may I help?"
"I wish to buy a phone" I repeated
"Then I cannot" he replied "phones are over there. What is your name please?"
"Why?"
"So I can put you in the queue"
"You need a name for that?"
"I do"
"How long is the queue? As that will determine whether I wish to join it or not"
"Don't know, I have to put you in it to find out what position you will be in"
"But it's just on the other side of the room"
He shrugged and pointed to his phone
"I will return on a less busy day" I told him "But for the record, this is weird"
"It works quite well" he assured me
"Maybe, but it's weird"

I shall probably return midweek. Details to follow

b15ape1 said:
Some would call you awkward Pedro...I wouldn't, why oh why do they have to make a simple transaction so fooking hard??

Fatpete said:Yesterday, at the Trafford centre, I entered an Apple store with the intention of purchasing a phone.

It was busy but at least they have their employees in uniform for easy identification purposes. One of these was handing a customer a small bag and bidding him farewell so I ambled over in his direction. He ignored me and started looking at his phone so I stopped at the opposite side of his table and started waving my arms about.

"Can I help?" he asked
"I do hope so" I answered, "I wish to buy a phone"
"I have to stay in this area" he advised "I cannot leave it"
I walked around to the table to a more sensible conversation distance "Are you tagged?" I enquired
"Not in the way you mean" he answered "but I cannot leave this area, how may I help?"
"I wish to buy a phone" I repeated
"Then I cannot" he replied "phones are over there. What is your name please?"
"Why?"
"So I can put you in the queue"
"You need a name for that?"
"I do"
"How long is the queue? As that will determine whether I wish to join it or not"
"Don't know, I have to put you in it to find out what position you will be in"
"But it's just on the other side of the room"
He shrugged and pointed to his phone
"I will return on a less busy day" I told him "But for the record, this is weird"
"It works quite well" he assured me
"Maybe, but it's weird"

I shall probably return midweek. Details to follow

matthewvc said:
Apple is an awful shopping experience. I don't understand why the simple act of buying a phone has to be made so convoluted, with 'consultants' doing one-to-one sales spiel, as though you are buying a new car from BMW or something - minus the comfy dealearship sofas, aircon and free flavia coffee (I'm guessing you were also immediately aware of the stifling heat and over bright lighting standing around like a lemon in there). wait until they start trying to upsell: 'would you like applecare? would you like an apple music subscription? apple beats phones? apple tech to show you how to use?' NO, just a sodding iPhone, sans anything.