I have a confession to make. The only piece of Apple merchandise that I own is a Mini iPod. It is gold. It is personalized. And it is perfect.
I purchased this device in March of 2004 and since it was delivered, I have been with it everyday. But, I am not just with it. I nurture it. It is the closest thing to a child in my life and I treat it that way. I tuck it in at night (it has its own cradle). We go for long walks and talk about nothing. I taught it how to play catch. Recently, I even setup its college savings account. Everything was sunny on our side of our street and then something happened.
This past December, my child started developing signs of early fatigue. He would only play for a half hour before needing to be re-charged. At his peak, his performance would last close to six hours. January and February brought more deteioration. He would now only last ten minutes. That is when I visited Dr. Apple (http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod).
I gave the doctor all the appropriate background information (date of birth, symptoms and any other issues of concern). Since my child was less than a year old, the doctor informed me that he would flip the bill. All I had to pay for was the child's transportation to the doctors office (round trip costed $31).
The day after I spoke with the doctor, my child's ride arrived. It was a box lined with soft foam to ensure a comfortable trip. After giving him money for lunch and kissing him goodbye, I sent him on his way. The next day, I received a letter (in electronic form) from the doctor saying that my child had arrived safely and that I should not worry. He was now in good hands. I did not question this.
I was initially told that I could be without my child for 10 to 15 business days. This seemed heart-breakingly long since I had spent everyday with him up to that point, but I wanted him healthy and I was willing to make that sacrifice.
To my surprise, my child returned to me in 3 business days. I repeat, 3 business days. Overjoyed and speechless, all I could do was embrace him. That day was beautiful. It was like old times. We played all day long. The doctor had worked magic.
Currently, I find myself in a more financially stable position than a year ago. I am thinking about having more children. It really is an easy decsision to make. I know their well-being will be protected by the doctor. And I even have some names picked out: iMac, PowerBook and 30-Inch Cinema HD.
