iDiot

To cut a bit of history out, let me just say that apparently the 1st generation iPod Nano warranty doesn’t cover the unit being squashed by a lead weight when you drop a bullet proof vest on it carelessly. But that’s a whole nother story. A replacement was the only way to go. I figured it may have been cheaper in Dubai airport when passing through but then what was the point of sitting on a flight with a new iPod and no tunes! I needed a solution and I needed a solution fast!

Last night, after 13.5 seconds of “rational” thought, I decided that my only other option was going downtown Q8 city to the Marina Mall where there is a nice shiny new Apple Store. I was quite impressed to see they had the new 8GB model in black aluminium just as I wanted. Goodie! I got myself a nice black matching case to protect this one but hopefully it wont have to endure me being a numpty and dropping lead weights on it. I was all excited with my new toy and just couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel and charge it up and start transferring music. I made one other purchase in the mall (I only mention that to explain that I had 2 bags with me now) and we (me and Jeffy J) were off outside and hailing a cab. Driving in Q8 is nothing short of a life (or close to death) experience so by the time we got back through through traffic to the hotel, we were quite glad to be home and hopped out of the cab in a hurry with cars behind us honking and carrying on. I got to the security check point and put my bags through the x-ray machine and was trying to show the very confused looking guard what an iPod looks like on x-ray only to discover that the iPod wasn’t there!!! I had left it in the cab. In my haste I had only grabbed 1 bag. DOH!

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I rushed outside with all intention of doing one of those Hollywood manoeuvres throwing myself over the hood of the car demanding that the driver stop in the name of all things Apple but to my dismay the driver who took an hour to get 20km had suddenly found his accelerator and made a lightning dash for it out the parking lot and into the wild wild… middle-eastern traffic. I was gutted! I rushed back to the valet parking attendants and security and asked if anyone has witnessed the despicable devious act of iPod theft abandonment. Alas no-one had. Except one really smart valet chap, for absolutely no reason what so ever had written down the phone number that was on the cab. We had a lead! Our cunning Arabic speaking security called up the number and low and behold, NOTHING. The company has a fleet of 250 cars and no radio communication. What? You are shitting me?? Dead end.

The same cunning Arabic speaking security guard had a wonderful thought to check the security camera footage of the driveway. Wicked! We were going to nab this getaway driver once and for all. After 45 minutes sitting in the lobby looking like someone had just run over my puppy, the guard came up and said that unfortunately he couldn’t make out the cab ID number on the footage. Hmmm fat lot of good that did us. Just at the moment that I had given up all hope, the duty manager said they had managed to get in touch with the cab and he was going to bring it back soon.

WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

BUT. There was a catch! There always is isn’t there? He was actually going to charge me KD3 (Q8i Dinars), which is about $10, taxi fare to bring it back, was this ok?? Hell Yeah!! I said to the duty manager that I would give him 3 x that just as a thank you for the honesty and willingness to return a KD100  iPod for KD3.  Now the whole time I hadn’t mentioned that it was in fact an iPod, instead I just said it was a shopping bag. I gave the KD10 to the duty manager and asked him to settle up with the cab when he arrived and have my package sent up to my room. I get this call about an hour later saying “Sir, the taxi has arrived and we have paid him. Your shirt is being sent up to your room now”.

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It was the wrong cab. It was the wrong package. It was just wrong wrong wrong.

I hear giggling on the phone and then the duty manager says “Sir, I’m only kidding. Your iPod is on the way up”

WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

There’s a knock on my door and all excited I rush to open up and be reunited with my new little toy and I hand over a KD1 tip to the bellhop at the door and he handed me my iPod and KD6???? “What’s this?” I asked. He told me the driver refused to accept a tip for his honesty and would only take KD4 for the cab fare. He even apologised that it wasn’t the KD3 that he had quoted but it was because he got held up in traffic again.

My faith in society and human common decency was raised a notch last night.

Ramadan Kareem to you oh good thing of taxi drivers. I wish there were more of you in this world!!

Today is dedicated to my iPod, my buddy, my PAL!