I’m a little puzzled by how this all happened, but I wanted to share the story before we head out to the Bronx to meet my granddaughter at the Bronx Zoo tomorrow. I’ll be back on Sunday.

It seems that I got a new iPhone today, the just-released iPhone 11 with a quite amazing three-lens camera. This shot of Bud and Fate in Maria’s studio doorway was the first photo I took with the camera. I’m going to have fun with it and do some good stuff.

What happened is this.

I dropped my iPhone three weeks ago on the bathroom floor, it was a short drop but it landed on a corner (I had a case) and cracked the glass on the front of the camera.  I was surprised.

The camera worked, but there was a small spider web on the glass.

The phone – an iPhone X – was insured, so I called the insurance company, and they said they would send someone out to the farmhouse to replace the glass and would only charge me $49. That sounded good.

I am very fond of this phone and am fascinated by the AI experiments in it, the phone does get to know the user. So it feels personal. And a lot of my life is tied up in it. I meant to fix it.

The first appointment was five days later, but no one showed up.

I waited around for two hours and called, the customer service rep called the repair people and they said they needed to order the glass, that’s why they didn’t show up (without calling).  She seemed bored as if she was above this.

They scheduled another appointment a week later. I wanted for two more hours, and once again, the repair person didn’t show up and didn’t call.

I called again and they said there was no trace of the second appointment in their system, fortunately, I did save the e-mail confirmation. I was getting steamed at this point, and also nervous about using the phone the cracks seemed fairly serious.

We scheduled another appointment, the third, two weeks later and after two more hours of waiting I was sure the repair person was not going to show up, so I called again – they aren’t Apple, you wait a good long while –  and I was polite but insistent. I needed to speak to a supervisor.

The supervisor came on the phone, he checked his computer record for 30 minutes or so, and then came on the phone to apologize and say the repair person said his truck broke down. Why hadn’t he called me? I asked. The supervisor didn’t know, but he went to talk to another supervisor he said.

He seemed annoyed, I wasn’t sure if he was annoyed at me or the repair person.

A few minutes later another supervisor got on the phone and apologized. He had reviewed the record and what happened was inexcusable.

No more appointments, he said, they were sending me a check for the full amount of a new iPhone XS.  They had a three-strikes rule, three busted appointments and you get to buy a new phone.

It came yesterday. With a special deal AT &T was offering, I could get a new Iphone 11 for the same amount plus Apple Care and insurance for a small amount per month.

The phone was, in effect free, but I chose to sign up with one of their many new installment plans so I could use the money elsewhere.

The phone payments would be interest-free, and up to 30 months, or less if I wanted to give them some money.

I am not strong enough to resist a free Iphone, especially one with faster ID, a much longer battery life,  a new Bionic Chip, but most importantly, a three-lens phone (including a wide-angle option) that professional photographers say is a world-class camera.

And I can use the money to help pay for my hopefully forthcoming $2,500 puppy, Zinnia.

I love my smartphone, but I mostly love the camera, that’s the hook for me. So here’s one where patience and persistence paid off, I guess, and there are corporations that still get embarrassed when their customers get screwed over.

I got stern, but not angry. Dealing with big corporations is a spiritual discipline all of its own.

I went to Vermont with my old phone, and I think I will always buy any new thing I need in Vermont, it’s another world over there.

The AT&T store was empty when I came in and Sue was incredibly nice and patient, and explained the options I had, walked me through the changeover, advised me to get the glass repaired myself for $100 and either resell it or give it to Maria.

I fussed about not putting a big down payment down, but Sue, who could not possibly have been nicer,  advised it was wise to use their money and put mine to a different use. I thought she was right.

She sat with me to make sure the change went smoothly and my phone and e-mail were working. I spent an hour re-inserting my login information and trying out the very fast new Face ID – no passwords. And I got a thick and heavy Gear 4 case. I think I could back the car over this case and it would hold up.

So I’m a little stunned but happy.

Tomorrow Maria and I are leaving early to meet my granddaughter at the Bronx Zoo and then stay overnight in Hudson, New York. We have a wonderful farm sitter moving in to take care of things. And I expect to try out the camera there.

I can’t speak for Maria but I do need to get away for a day or so. I’ve got a room booked in a small and artsy town on the Hudson River.

We’ll be back on Sunday.