Here's a customer-service miracle.

Last year I purchased, online, a waterproof MP3 player for my aqua-jogging. I use it to pace the workouts, not just for ear candy.

First miracle-- when I had first wanted a waterproof earbud player several years ago, Walkman (tapes) was the model for personal players, and a waterproof one was then about $400. No way! But last year, someone suggested a waterproof Ipod. It was the first I'd heard that such a thing was now available. I reviewed various available models, found an affordable one, and ordered it.

It changed my life. It lacked a few features my non-waterproof one has, that I'd assumed this would have, but it was pretty cool and very simple to operate. I used it daily, and took good care of it.

The earbud wire was the weakest point, and soon I had static in one ear or only one earbud operating at all. Expecting the other to fail at any time, and still under warranty, I requested a return authorization form from their Help department. They replied that instead, they would just send me a new headphone unit. It's not as simple as it sounds-- to keep the whole thing waterproof, the earbuds come out of a sealed, molded section that is the whole bottom third of the unit. I thought this was pretty good!

I waited and waited. It didn't arrive, nor did a promised backorder notice. I've been checking the mailbox daily, hoping to have the package....

I got mad, and yesterday I found the old email correspondence and resent it. The reply indicated that the guy I'd been writing to was no longer there, and how could the new guy help? I said he could send me the RMA, the promised earbud unit-- or a new unit altogether. (I was being sarcastic.)

Today's mail indicates that the new guy has decided to send me a whole, new unit-- an improved one that replaces the "backordered" one which is, actually, discontinued. Would I please look at the product & manual online to say if I want it?

So I looked at the owner's manual online, and it has all the features I was missing, plus more! It has one that will replace the batter-operated metronome in my pool kit that is wrapped in a Ziploc bag to keep it dry. I use that sometimes instead of the music, esecially when working with folks new to the sport to find what cadence fits their current level of fitness. I also use it to gauge my own progress up the fitness ladder at least twice a month.


The cost is only a few bucks above what I paid, but they are not charging me a dime. I would happily have paid for the upgrade!


It gets better-- they do not want to old one back. The old one will serve fine as a non-waterproof model for the car, and I can line out from it with stuff we already have. This neatly solves a pesky file storage and transfer problem of having a good amount of oldtime radio programs (and music of course) to enjoy with Hardi for the long drives our vacation will involve. We have each been enjoying some different CDs and radio series, separately on our personal players. Now we will be able to load up our favorites to share with each other and hear together.

Sometimes it works out right-- THAT's a miracle by any definition!

They say sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug? Sometimes the bug is not a bug that gets smashed, and is instead a butterfly that gets trapped in your car and finds its way out before it gets hurt-- I had one of those today, too, during my car-lunch break between workout sets.

~Susan