Cooper’s Capers

Prologue

I figure I can start this blog post off with a little story about how I got my Nintendo Wii, and the resulting aftermath.

Now, let me start by saying that I had been looking for a Wii for a little while, ever since Leilani told me she was getting me one for Christmas (Best. Girlfriend. Ever.) She even went with Skrud to Best Buy at Marché Central early in the morning on a day they were getting Wiis in stock just to see if they could get their hands on one. No luck then — people had been waiting since 8PM the night before! Just can’t compete with hardcore losers.

So, I resolved to put as much effort as possible into getting one for myself. I decided that based on what I had heard, Wal-Mart was the best bet.

Act I: Wal-Mart

Scene I: The Phone Calls

So I called Wal-Mart and spoke with Moron Employee of the Month© Number One, and the conversation went something like this:

–Hi, I was wondering if you knew when you are getting any Wiis in.
–No.
–You are not getting any Wiis in, or you don’t know?
–No.

At this point I get frustrated and switch to French. I will provide this in translated form, despite the fact that her French was broken and incomprehensible as well.

-Are you getting any Wiis in anytime soon? -Yes. We usually get 15, and they should come in Monday. Call in the morning – 8AM – and someone can put one aside for you. -Excellent. Thank you!

Monday morning at 8AM I call Wal-Mart up. Nobody picks up. I call again. Nobody picks up. Repeat a bunch of times. Later that day I call and finally someone says that they always come in Mondays or Tuesdays, at 10:30AM. But they don’t put them aside.

Scene II: The Visits

I go in on Tuesday at 10:15AM, and Moron Employee© Number Two tells me, in a frustrated voice, ‘we didn’t get any and aren’t getting anything today’. But I can’t let something like that discourage me. So I go to the manager. He seems much more down-to-earth. He says: ‘Look, our shipments come in between 10:30 and 12. If you wait around for a bit and check in with me in about half an hour, maybe you’ll have more luck.‘

I decide to wait. I see the manager disappear in back. So I think to myself ‘yes! the shipment must be coming in now! So I wait. And wait. Some more employees disappear in the back. I wait longer. All the employees (except for the manager) come back empty-handed. I wait more and more, but no manager in sight. Finally at 12:30 he shows up. I talk to him briefly – he says they received nothing and to try again the next day.

The next day I show up at 10:30AM, and I get the same spiel – the Wiis should come in between 10:30 and 12.

Now, I knew I wasn’t going to wait and let them dick me around again. So I speak to another employee, whose voice I recognised as that of Moron Employee of the Month© Number One. The conversation went as follows (with me speaking in English and her in broken English, which I translated into real English):

–Hi, I had heard that the Wiis were supposed to be coming in. Do you know when they’ll be arriving?
-No, but they should be here between now and 12. But since you were here early, I can put one aside for you if they come in and I will call you. Just leave me your name and telephone number.
-Sure! So, if I leave now, and they come in at, say, 12, you will call me?

She stares at me blankly and shrugs — a gesture that immediately gave me a bad feeling

Since my father’s office is near Wal-Mart, I asked my stepbrother (who works there) to check in during his lunch break and see if they got them in but didn’t tell me. Meanwhile, I had received no calls from Wal-Mart.

He calls me a while later and says ‘They said the Wiis came in around 12, and they were sold already, but to try again next week‘. So the person was as incompetent as I had figured.

Act III: Microplay

Scene I: Adam to the Rescue

Now, my friend Adam — one of the most considerate people I know — calls me up that very same day, and the conversation went as follows (abridged):

-You said you were looking for a Wii, right?
-Yep.
-Well, I’m going to NYC in mid-February and since stores aren’t supposed to get any new Wii stock until mid-to-late February, I can get one for you, and you can pay me back.

What ensued was a discussion of the problems of importing items, especially the taxes/duties after a short trip. In the end I determined that it wasn’t worth it.

10 minutes later, another call from Adam:

-I found you a Wii. Would you be able to leave right this second?

I had a class coming up, but I agreed immediately.

-So here’s the deal. They have one at the Microplay in Ville St-Laurent, but it has to be bought as part of a bundle. It’s $400 but you get a Wii, brand new in the box, 2 used games and 12 free rentals at Microplay. The catch is that there are only 3 games to choose from — Madden ‘07, Red Steel and Splinter Cell.

Now, I had to think about this. I didn’t want any of those games, but I figured I could sell them and recoup some of the losses. So I agreed, and he had the guy at Microplay put the system aside for me.

Scene II: The Purchase

I rushed over to Microplay, where I was told that they only take cash or interac, so I had to withdraw money from the account I don’t touch, since no credit cards were accepted. I paid the guy and got the system immediately. Now, the guy shows me the games (I chose Red Steel and Splinter Cell), which were in a startling sort of condition.

Most discs in DVD cases come with the following components:

• Disc (duh)
• Manual/Interior insert
• Case
• Outer insert (i.e: the part you see behind the clear plastic when the case is closed)

Now, the discs are in mint condition. The manuals look like they were mangled a bit, but not terrible. The cases are in mint condition. I can’t tell you about the outer inserts because THE GAMES HAD NONE!!! How the hell are you supposed to get a good resale price on games if they look like plain white cases???

But I figure it’s the best way to get a Wii and I stuck with it. Especially since the 12 rentals amount to a $72-odd value. Mission accomplished - Wii obtained.

Scene III: Rentals

So, after selling the used games for next to nothing, I decided to use my free rentals at Microplay on Queen Mary. So I head over there with Skrud, and after looking around I decided on a game (I think it was Rayman: Raving Rabbids).

I go to the cash, where the fellow tells me that I have to create a new membership at that location. No problem. I set it up, and when I hand over the rental card they gave me at Microplay he looks at it quizzically and tells me they don’t accept it. So the $72 I was expecting in value was worthless. I rented nothing that night.

The next day I call the original Microplay and the guy forwards me to the head office, where I left a message stating the problem and to call me back. This was a Thursday. By Tuesday (today) I had still received no calls.

I was not happy.

Epilogue

So I get on the phone with someone new at the Microplay head office today, and the guy apologises profusely. He calls up the store that snubbed me, had them put a note in my file to give me a free rental, and to accept my card when I come in. I am now a happy Harley.

Testing 1, 2, 3.

And we’re live!