Last night a dear friend in another city (Chattanooga) sent me a text message to tell me that a new Mac Air with Apple Care and a Super Drive would be ready for me to pick up at the local Apple Store. Wow, now that’s not the kind of gift that you get everyday.

First thing this morning I had an email from Apple saying my products were ready for me to pick up (this is going to be a good day). I arrived at the store, gave a very courteous associate my claim number and he soon came back with the Super Drive, but said somehow the Mac Air had been shipped to my friend’s house. OK, I can handle a little mess up. I called my friend to alert him to what was taking place.

In a few minutes my friend called back and said for me to go back to Apple. He ordered another computer for store pickup, wanting to make this happen today. In just moments I got both a text and email from Apple saying my order was now ready to pick up (see, I told you this was going to be a good day). I arrived at the store, gave the same associate the claim number and waited in anticipation. He returned to say somehow the pickup had been processed for the Apple store in Knoxville. I could tell by the look on his face that this was going to be more complicated than a simple phone call.

The young associate got me on the phone with Apple (somewhere) to talk about how to resolve this somewhat awkward situation. After listening to him tell me all the things I needed to do to work this out, I suggested that this was really not my problem, or my friends, and I thought it would be a good idea if Apple figured this one out. He agreed, told me to sit tight, and he would send a cancellation order to Knoxville and see what we could do to get this right so I could pick up my new gift right here in Nashville. I waited an hour before finally leaving the store, without said new computer.

Several hours later I did indeed receive the cancellation email and informed my friend. He said go back to the store (third trip) get the Mac Air, and he would simply pay for it by using his credit card over the phone. Sounds like a plan. I went back and found a very helpful associate who had tried to help during trip number two. I told him what we wanted to do and he replied, “we are not allowed to take a credit card order over the phone in the store”. I thanked him for his assistance and headed home.

While driving I called my friend, thanked him profusely for such a wonderful gesture in spite of the results and laughed about the whole situation. By the way, who’s on first?

My friend just sent me a final text for the evening saying that Apple had sent him confirmation that the original Mac Air would arrive at his home on Monday. It was being shipped from Nashville. You can’t make this stuff up.Come on Apple, you’re better than this (I think).