Going 3 Gs

Well, it's been a few days, but for a little fun, thought I'd recount the big day.. I didn't really know whether or not I really wanted one until I woke up at 6:45 Friday morning, and thought, "what the heck?  Probably too late anyway, but could always sit in line for a bit.."  I told Leslie after I got up where I was going, and headed out to the store.

When I got there, the line was already doubled around two sides of the building.  This picture below was after we started moving a bit, so we had already gone around one corner.  Keep your eye on that guy looking to the left (with the rather thick neck) with the white ball cap, he'll come up later..

Anyway, I get there in line and immediately met some very nice people (not the guy in the cap above.. again.. stay tuned).  One guy had just driven down as fast as he could from Penn Square, because after being in line for an hour there, they came out and told everybody that you must be the account OWNER in order to upgrade to the iphone.. So he rushed down here for [hopefully] a phone.  The lady behind me was about to go on a trip, and was trying to coordinate her leaving with how long it was going to take in line.. Unlike most people, I've loved being in lines for most of my adult life.  I find it nice to chat with people with obvious similar interests.  Some people would rather just sit in lines and not talk to anybody, but they usually aren't the ones in line for a Star Wars opening, or an iphone launch :)  (eye on the hat..)

Anyway, shortly after I arrive the AT&T workers come out with water for everybody, very nice gesture.  One of them was counting as she moved down the line, so I immediately pounced..  About ten people after me, she said, was the 70th person in line, and they had 70 phones in stock for the day... And so it began.  It was no longer the "ahhh, I'll just wait and see, no big deal" but a full, blown out, must have the phone experience.  Immediately we began figuring how many in line were there just for support, and how many actually wanted what we wanted: the guy in front of me wanted  a white 16 gig (not me); the girl in front of him, an 8 gig (nope); lady behind me 16 gig, didn't matter what color.  I wanted the 16 gig black, and I figured some time after that even if I didn't get it, I wasn't going to cave and walk out with "anything" as some were already planning on doing.  I'd go ahead and order the phone and have it delivered some time next week.

Anyway, the line progressed, and suddenly hat man was talking to an employee, and looking (I thought) right at me, mouthing something.  I realized shortly after he was actually trying to talk to a group behind me, but I still wanted to know what he was saying, so.. like any other normal person, I asked him what he was saying...  No response.

So, I look at him again, step out of line a bit to make sure he sees me, and I ask again.  Nothing.  Not only nothing, but he won't even acknowledge that I'm even speaking to him.  Now, apparently the people next to me weren't ready for something like this, but I, with my expert line time, was slipping right into my comfort zone.  The people around me were saying (all too quietly, rookies..) "man, what a jerk.. he's not even looking at you."  Ahhh, they know so little, in fact, it's time for a little right turn on this story...

A few (probably several now) years back Chebon and I are in another sort of line.. that line trying to get out of the theater in our car.  In fact, we hadn't even made into the "line" yet, we were just sitting in our parking space waiting to get out.  Now, all of us know that waiting game.. We try to look at the eyes of the drivers coming towards us, asking them (with our eyes), "my turn?  Is it me now? You gonna stop for me?"  Well, one of those moments popped up just then.  Two girls in a jeep were slowing down, and I figured were letting us get out (clear reverse lights on the car and all.. you know the drill), so I start backing up.  Interesting thing - they then SPEED up to block me in.  Then, the feeling we can also all share, that feeling that begins deep in the darkest corners of your being welling up like the burning fire of a thousand suns until you can feel it from your toes to your ears, came over me.  The best part was, they were looking RIGHT AT ME.  I remember Chebon chuckling a little, obviously he wasn't in the same zone I was.  I sat there barely able to see through the heat in my eyes until they had passed.  "Oh well, nothing we can do now..."  Oh no sir, I won't go down that easily...

I then whipped my car out as fast as I could, and headed in the opposite direction of the flow of traffic.  I zipped around the back side of the theater, and sped out onto the road as fast as I could without turning us over.  Chebon, holding on for dear life, screamed, "There's no way you're going to beat them, don't kill us in the process!!!"  I would have welcomed death rather than be defeated by these girls..  I shot around the corner, and guess what?  We were ahead of them.  Not just ahead of them, 15 or so cars still ahead of them.  We had won.

Not good enough.

This was the part that I still look back on with glee.  I pulled up, and motioned for every single car to go ahead of us onto the road, waiting, patiently, for that jeep to get closer.  The absolute best part about this part of the story is that they had no idea it was us... yet.  And then, it happened.  It's a shame Chebon can't remember this part, because he was laughing so hard by this time he couldn't see through his tears... But I remember.. oh yes.. I remember..

My hand shot up out of the window to stop them from coming out.  They immediately stopped, and why wouldn't they?  They had just seen a very GRACIOUS person let tons of cars out, so they could understanding waiting for a second or two before they left.  They still didn't know.  Instead of pulling forward, I parked the car in the street, and raised myself out of the driver's window, and met them, eye to eye.  They focused on me, and I could see the past ten minutes flash in their pupils, watching closely their expressions as they realized who had just stopped them from coming out.  Oh, the triumph, I wish I could express :)

I then SLOOOOWWWWLLLY slipped back in to the car, and drove away, waving at them as I went.  Oh, it's the small things in life you learn to cherish :)

Okay, back to line.  Remember, the rookies had no idea, but this part is all about timing.  "It's fine," I said back to them, as he walked past me, ignoring me.  "It's fine, no problem, he's just too busy talking to them.."  Now, the story isn't nearly as fun as the movie story, but we still had our moment.  You see, the number of people in line who are nice FAR outweighed the ONE of him, so every once in a while when we'd all be laughing, I'd say (loudly enough for EVERYBODY to hear), "Man! Who knew being in a line like this could be so fun???  Well, obviously not THAT guy"  - chuckle chuckle, grin grin.. All in good fun, you know :)

Okay, so we were finally up to the door... the guy and girl in front of me got in, and I could see them giving me the "thumbs up" from the back, and everybody outside started cheering.. It wasn't good enough for me, I had to have the phone IN HAND before I danced the "promised" jig.  Sure enough, got the phone, and danced around the store for about five minutes with everybody laughing.  It was great :)

So, there was the condensed version of the phone story.  Trust me, there was lots more to tell, but most of it was my stupidity with the software upgrades at home, let's just say I was up until 12:30 in the morning trying to get it to work.  I must point out, however, that while I was trying to install the software, any time ANYBODY called, the phone would start over for another 45 minute cycle.  The best part was when I tweeted that information, and Chebon called shortly after.  Well played, sir.. well played.  And yes, I did yell:

"KHHHHHAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!!"