Apple Store Opening: waiting in line

 The last time I stood in line for an hour and a half for anything, I think I was trying to get some financial aid in college. Usually I'm too busy or uninterested to stand in line for movie tickets, concert tickets or things like that. But, thank God for patience. I got there somewhere around 8:30... and so did everyone else. 

     There were only about 50 to 100 people in front of me when I got there. By about 9 o'clock the line had stretched all the way down the street. 
    Security was tight, with Yale Police, New Haven Police and Security Guards making sure our line didn't block the whole sidewalk.
     So, why did I stand in line at an Apple store know good and well that I wasn't going to buy anything. Simple I was hoping to get something for free. Plus apple is known for putting on a good show... and they did. But before I get to the moment where I actually stepped foot inside, lets take a look at the who overall experience.

     Playing off my free stuff urge, ... Blue state coffee was there handing out coupons for a free coffee, unfortunately they don't deliver ( I did ask several times if he could bring a pitcher of coffee out.) I also got a free t-shirt from Froop or Floop. I guess it's another social networking site. I don't know. I just like free stuff. 
    Overall the people in line seemed to either be there just for the hype, to get something free or to get on TV. Because honestly you can buy an iPod or iPhone at bestbuy, target, walmart, etc. The one thing you can't get done at any of those stores is customer service. 
    The Genius bar is awesome. Instead of calling customer service sending your phone or ipad or ipod in to get fixed and getting it back weeks later,  they usually fix it right there on the spot. Speaking of which... my second reason for going, was to get my wife's iPod fixed. Wait, it's not in this pocket, or this pocket--- I left it home. But I could always come back, right? 

     Anyway there was no way I was getting out of line now. After a few minutes in line, some Yalies came by and surveyed us. She says they were told that they would be helping with the grand opening. They just didn't know what they'd be doing. (I bet they were hoping for a little more than a free t-shirt too.) The survey was easy, Zip code, how often to I come to downtown NH, where do I shop. 

    Since I was bored, i just started clicking away on my camera... Hmm that's a nice pot of flowers with morning dew on them.... that's a nice light pole... oooh look at all the people taking pictures. Eventually the TV stations returned to the scene of the crime--- I mean the only big thing going on in our great state on that day. 
    Then came the awesomeness of the hype-machine. Dozens and Dozens of Apple store employees showed up at the end of the line. My guess is they all had to do a lap around the block to prove that they were ready to work at Apple. 
    Once they hit the line-- they started a chain of high fives... each employee personally slapping palms with everyone in line. (Howie Mandell would have fainted.. or left to find the largest bottle of purell). The High five machine worked.
   It got some of us who had fallen back into our Angry Bird Sessions back into this world and awake. Then, 3,2,1.. they are open and it was another High Five machine going into the Apple Store. Somewhere along the high five machine I picked up a free shirt. 
    As you can see from the video I was so excited by then, I didn't even care about the video.