Recently, I had thought that my X-Box Pro console had ate shit, re : overheating. (I think I wrote a blog about it somewhere) so instead of sending it in for a 120 dollar repair, I went out and purchased myself an elite. I figured since I wanted a bigger HD anyway...which would've cost me around 100 something dollars....it made sense mathematically to buy an elite (especially when you consider how long the repair team takes to fix your shit).

So about four months pass, and I go to play one of my favourite games "Marvel Ultimate Alliance" and the unthinkable happens. The space where it says the title of the game reads "Unplayable Disc". So I pop it out and try another game, same thing happens....I try about five different games, certain that it isn't that, considering I keep my CDs in tip top shape.

So I phone tech support and long story short, they tell me that I need a repair and they will send me a box to place my system in. Meanwhile, my friends get on this huge guitar hero kick, in which I supply the games and controllers for this binge in gaming. I start to get really good, especially considering all my friends are absolutely fucking terrible at the game. (I don't know what it is, but people are SO amazed when you can play Guitar Hero good, it's almost like they think it's real guitar...whatever)

Anyway, so I get craving to play Guitar Hero so badly, that I actually revert to trying out my old X-Box Pro console, the overheating machine that it is, and zounds! It starts up normally and actually allows me to play a game without crashing.

Two thoughts go through my head. First, "YES, a system that works!" Second, "Oh shit, I just spent 580 dollars on a system that I already have....fuck."

Turns out, my power brick was shot, and it had nothing to do with the system's fans. So my new console's power brick allowed my old system to work fine. I could've saved myself 580 bucks by buying a 40 dollar power brick to try it out.

Anyway, it's JUST money (ouch) so life goes on, and I get to play my Xbox while my other one is in repair so it's all good.

Finally, the day arrives when my X-Box comes back, and I'm like a kid at Christmas. I rip open the package, and what do I see?

An X-Box 360 PRO console. So, apparently in an effort to repair my system I was downgraded to a lower tier system in the process. Naturally, I'm a little miffed, considering the amount of time that it took for my system to arrive in the first place. Thankfully, my old system started working again, otherwise I'd have probably not been as easy going about this mistake.

So I phone tech support, and of course, I get a fellow who can barely speak English. I'm not trying to be a dick about it, but it's really annoying when you're trying to be pissed off and you can barely understand what the guy is trying to explain to you. Basically they are like, "oh, I'm very sorry about this mistake, we will see what we can do to fix it, etc etc."

So I'm like, "Well, can I please speak with a supervisor?" So they transfer me to another dude who has a really high pitched voice AND can't speak English. I was like, GREATTTT. Anyway, so they say they'll phone me back tomorrow with some information or w/e.

Get my phone call, they say "ok, we're sending you another retrival box along with a 360 Elite, it'll be on rush delievery and we are very sorry about the inconvience."

Pretty typical stuff.

So I wait another couple weeks for this new package, and it finally arrives. This time, I'm not so excited, but I'm glad that this mess is finally sorted out.

I open the package up, and lo and behold.

ANOTHER XBOX 360 PRO!

I start laughing hysterically, wondering how a company can make the same mistake twice, especially when I apparently talked to one of their head supervisor people. I start thinking about what I could do with two extra 360 consoles, but really...since Microsoft has the serial numbers, it was pretty much just an evil thought, not really a practical one. So I get on the phone again, set to talk to the good ol' folks at XBox.

The guy I finally talk to, thank the Lord, speaks English perfectly, and I tell him what has happened. He is flabbergasted by all of it, and he's like, "So what you're telling me is that you have two of our systems, and none of them are elites?" And I said, "Yes, that's right. I actually have three systems, because I already had a Pro console, so yeah, I basically have a stack of X-Boxes on my kitchen table."

So he starts talking about how he's confused why they would send me another system when I already have one of theirs, but that's fine, because he says he's going to transfer me to another supervisor person. He warns me though, that I will be on hold for a while.

Understatement.

I think I was on hold for about an hour, when finally, my next friend answers the line. I tell him the situation, and he starts laughing. It was one of those, "Wow, this guy is probably really pissed, but this shit is just so stupid that I am either going to fire someone or burst out laughing" sorta laughs, so I didnt' really care. He was like, "Oh I probably shouldn't be laughing, but man, that's just stupid."

So after talking to him for a while, he says that he's going to have the head of the service department call me so I can explain my situation to him. He says "This will be resolved, I promise." It was quite an ominous statement, so I hope someone was fired over it. Maybe one of those call centre people, I dunno.

The guy says that someone will call me between 6-8PM, so I come home and there is a message on the machine. Turns out, they thought I lived in the Eastern Time Zone, so they phoned me at 6-8 EST PM. Another fuck up. But anyway, the guy says "call me back" blah blah blah, but I don't, because fuck, I'm in school, I'm busy, and really, I don't really feel like I should have to call him back.

So finally the guy gets a hold of me, and he starts giving me shit about not calling him back, which really pisses me off, because frankly, I don't give a shit how many times they have to call me, I was NOT the person who sent out the wrong console twice.

Anyway, I just took his shit, because well, secretly I'm a nice person, but I really wanted to start being a dick...but he starts asking me for serial numbers, like three different times, acting confused as to why I have two systems. I swear, they pick these people off the streets.

Finally, he says he'll call me back the next day to let me know what's going on. In the meantime, I should be ready to send back at least one of the systems in the retrival box.

Next day, he phones me, tells me to send the first system back, and he'll get a retrival box ready for the second one. I said that I wasn't going to send them both back until I got my Elite back. I mean, really, why why I go from two systems to zero, that'd just be dumb.

So finally, I get another phone call, saying that there is an elite in the retrival box that he sent. It's hilarious, the message he left me, he seriously sounds so excited, like he's doing me a favour, when basically the company has been fucking me over for the last month and a half. He's like, "Everything is A-OK now!" I wanted to puke.

So I wait for the retrival box with the 360 Elite in it to arrive. Finally, the delievery guy shows up, and rings the bell. I go and get it, and he hands me the box. It feels strangely light.

So I go to open it, and voila, it IS an empty box. No elite in there. Just crazy...but I don't feel like talking to them, so I say I'll leave it a day or two.

Finally, another box arrives. I open it up, and hey, a black Elite. Third times a charm, right? So, after two fuck ups, I finally have my elite back.

Funny thing though, I send both systems back, and after a couple days, I get another message on my machine, from the service tech supervisor person.

He's in a panicky voice, saying, "The delievery service says there is a package coming to us, the package that was suppose to go to you, I need to know if you got the system, because there should be an elite in that box!"

Next message, "Oh, I guess the package coming towards us is the other system we sent you, I'm going to assume that is the one, I'll contact you again later."

Man. Seriously, I really fucking hope that my system doesn't break again, let me tell you. They are all morons over there, except for the two English speaking people I dealt with.

How freaking weird is that?