Mac Geniuses [Genii ?] and other miracles
Friday, April 13, 2007
On Tuesday, I found myself on the subway at noon time, trying to get to an appointment at 1 pm at the "Genius Bar", a bar in the Apple store where "Apple Geniuses" help you resolve issues you have with Apple software and hardware.A friend had offered to help, but he could only take me there after 5 pm and since I work at that time, I couldn't really go then.
So I decided I should take the long route of going to one of the northernmost points of Montreal just so I could check whether or not these Mac people, to which AdamX was kind and smart enough to refer me to, could recover my ancient iPod, in which I had stored the interview I had done with Khadijah Bennis for my sociology course.
I took the subway and then had to get a cab to Carrefour Laval, a mall in Laval, a Montreal outskirt that will be getting a connecting subway station in two weeks (see metro stops De la Concorde and Montmorency. Sadly, the public transportation right now isn't very good, so if i had wanted to get the bus, I would have had to wait 40 minutes for my bus at the subway station, and then 25 to get to the mall.
After paying $20, I found myself in the middle of one of the largest malls in Quebec and probably Canada. There was a tiny map that probably should be updated because it had no info. on where the Mac store was. I hurried as, at this point, I was 5 minutes short to being late.
I got to the store where my name was shown in funky, clean-cut Apple font, on the fancy LCD screen on the wall. It faded in and out to show I was up next. I looked around and wondered how I could ever take out my Dell Inspiron in a place like this, should I ever have to use it to connect to my iPod.
After being directed by a man who probably got his spring look inspiration from Steve Jobs (round-rimmed sleek glasses, some scruff on the face, an Apple t-shirt), I took a sit on a leather chair and waited around to be assisted by one of the geniuses. At this point, I was extremely excited, as they don't call these people geniuses for nothing. Right?
So, Mike came and he introduced himself as a Mac Genius. "Genius" appeared right on the chest of his black t-shirt, in minuscule writing, making me think once again of the Apple religion. When I explained the problem to him, he asked if I had a USB key or drive where I could transfer my data. I told him that I only had my computer, but that I had the USB connector to transfer the files that way. He asked me whether the computer was Apple and was shocked to find out that I had a Dell.As he looked around nervously, trying to avoid looking at me, he said that I should understand this is an Apple space and that the geniuses of this store support Apple for obvious reasons. I told him I did understand, but that I could only afford a Dell. I suddenly felt discriminated for my choice of computers. Mike the genius said "boy, you really like to live on the edge, eh? Ancient iPod, Microsoft computer...you should really think about changing your lifestyle". I was ready to burst into laughter, but the idea that he wouldn't take this very well stopped me. This "genius" had the power of recovering my iPod.
He looked around, walked back and forth and came back, only to say that he had nothing for me. He said I should send it to Toronto, to some service where it takes five days for them to take a look at my iPod and decide whether or not it's doable to restore the thing. Disappointed, I headed to the nearest Godiva chocolate store and bought myself a chocolate bar.
As I walked away from the larger-than-life Apple logo, I thought about this man and how seriously he takes his work. The way in which he talked sounded as if he were revering to the ancient god of bitten apple. This is the Apple prayer space and anything non-Apple is sacrilegous to the fruit computer company.Though my iPod didn't get fixed and I was late to class by an hour, this trip was so worth it. I'm never going to Carrefour Laval again. Not using public transportation, anyway.
