This is the first of many iPhone stories, if things keep going like they have this week.

I’ve had a lot of cell phones, but waited to get the iPhone until just last week. I shouldn’t have.  I can think of a thousand times it could have helped, saved me money or otherwise made my life easier. I’m sure this is a common sentiment among the converted.

My First ‘Saved By My iPhone’ Story

This first story shows just how the iPhone can make things easier. I was at Hannaford, the local supermarket. I went through the self-checkout aisle, which is ALWAYS causing a problem for me. I can’t get it right, but I persist on trying to get through. It’s like a challenge, a secret game I play with a mechanical opponent.

This night was going smoothly (I was winning) until I swiped my new credit card. I entered my PIN correctly. A big message pops up on the screen saying I need to contact the President of the USA and to stay where I am until SWAT arrives. The keypad, however,  said my transaction was approved, a.k.a. money changed hands.

Along comes the oldest person working (I’d say 15), popping her bubble gum and looking unimpressed. Her painted nails whipped through some mysterious 16 digit code like she’d been typing them since birth. I watched her press the ‘Cancel  Transaction’ button. Then she started swiping all the items through again.

I was sure as hell not getting charged for this twice, so I piped up about how the pad had shown the transaction went through. She mumbled something about there being no receipt paper to print, to prove my ’story’. Since our little teeny bopper was playing larry law with my ice cream and pumpkin pie, I thought I would whip out my iPhone to show her my paypal balance.

My credit card is a Paypal card, linked directly to my PayPal account. The second I use the card, PayPal updates my history and emails me. So I was able to go to paypal.com and show this high-schooler that I wasn’t full of shit. She finally bought my story and let me go.

How would that have played out WITHOUT an iPhone?

• I would have had to pay twice or
• They would have had to do an audit on the machine at the end of the shift or
• Some other lame-ass thing.

I got out of  this situation because of the awesome browser on the iPhone, the speed of connection (we are lucky enough to have 3GS here, even though AT&T has almost no coverage), and the indifference of the child in charge of the checkout.

I love my iPhone.

Show Me Some Love If I Deserve It!

Tags: hannaford, iPhone