I’ve been Bobbed!

Once in awhile the universe surprises you with something so wonderful, there are no words for it. Then again, I make my living with words so I’m going to find them. I belong to some fantastic groups on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).  One of them, Team Z30 is a group of people from around the world who chat about pretty much everything. Yes, we are all using BlackBerry devices but we talk about our regular lives as often as we do about devices and upgrades and technological stuff. The members of the group have become like family to me – I worry about them when they’re going through stuff, I enjoy hearing how their day is going, and occasionally, I want to give some of them a good swift kick in the rear.

The group was named Team Z30 because at the time of its creation, the Z30 was the newest BlackBerry 10 smartphone out there and it was one we all had. As newer BlackBerry 10 phones have been introduced, some members of the group have upgraded to either the Passport or the Classic. As a member of BlackBerry Elite, I get a device upgrade every year. I got the Z30 in late March 2014 which gives me my next device in the next few months. However, a lot of my friends have been asking what I think of the Passport and Classic devices. Having only used them for an hour or so each, I didn’t feel qualified to offer more than a basic opinion on them. I had mentioned this frustration in the group and asked members to let me know what they thought of the new devices so that I could pass on real user opinions to my friends and colleagues who wanted more than just a sales pitch.

In February, BlackBerry Elites had a promotional code for the shop Blackberry website that gave customers $100 US or $125 Canadian off of a BlackBerry Passport in any colour. I shared the availability of the discount with the group members (and all my BBM contacts) and a number of group members took advantage of the savings to upgrade or get a second device. I love helping people get new BlackBerrys to fall in love with. It didn’t make sense for me to order a new one when times are a bit tight financially and my Z30 is working perfectly fine, so I lived vicariously through my friends who were getting new devices and posting lots of pictures of the unboxing.

A few weeks ago, one of the members of the group messaged me to say that she had a screen protector for my phone and that she would like to send it to me. I was flabbergasted that someone I hadn’t met in person would do such a thing, but then I remembered that I’ve sent along chargers and cases for phones to people I’ve only known virtually. I sent along my address and waited.

Then I waited some more. It seems that the Canadian Border Services Agency decided to keep my package for a few days. Then it meandered around Ontario for a few more days. Then, on the 20th, the sender got a message that there had been an attempted delivery and the package was being held at the post office. Except that I’d been home all day and had gone to the superbox at the end of the subdivision and there was no notice or anything else from Canada Post. Strange, but I decided to give it until Tuesday to start raising heck as I’m on a rural route and sometimes my mail takes a bit longer to get from the sorting depot. Tuesday dad was heading out for a business lunch so I asked him to check the mailbox for a slip or a package and let me know. He called to tell me that there was a package being held at the Post office for $55 in “fees”. $55 for a screen protector? That seemed a little rich, even for customs and brokerage fees (and taxes – there are always taxes). So I BBMed my friend. I asked if there was something I should know since I needed to pay a $55 hostage fee for the package. My friend didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but realized that the lovely people at Canada Post had tied her hands. So she told me.

It wasn’t just a screen protector in the box. It was a new screen for the screen protector to go on – in the form of a BlackBerry Classic! She was quick to tell me that the phone wasn’t from her, it was from an anonymous source who wished to be identified only as Bob.

Here is the note that accompanied the package: (I am so jealous of the handwriting!)

There was a lot of screaming going on in the family room as I grabbed the heavy duty scissors and went at the multiple rounds of packing tape. I carefully cut off the customs paperwork and put it in a file (I keep stuff like that just in case), then I ripped into the box with abandon. Not only was there a nice new (at least to me), Classic but also a skin and an official BlackBerry pocket to put it in. There was also the screen protector that started the whole adventure, and a piece of delicious chocolate. My day, month, year, have been made.

So to “Bob”, I’d like to say Thank You. When I get my next upgrade, one of my devices (either the Z30 or the Classic) will be passed on in a similar manner to continue the circle. Your generousity touched me and came at a time when I was feeling low. Knowing somebody cares – makes all the difference. Yet another reason why I am a proud member of #TeamBlackBerry