The Sweet Smell of Hell

About a year ago, I bought my daughter an iPhone 4S. Since she was 12 at the time, I did something that I normally would never do: I bought the extended warranty. I figured that she will have the phone until she is at least 14 and there is plenty of potential damage that a young, teenager can do in 2 years.

This weekend we took advantage of the warranty and got her damaged phone replaced. Ironically, I am the one who damaged the phone. I bet you did not see that one coming.

I am sure if we could look at the situation through the lens of a sitcom, you would see that it is all my wife’s fault. Since that is not possible, I will take full blame because it really is 100% my fault.

I hate plug-in air fresheners. Especially the ones that are filled with oil. They are so sickly, sweet smelling. They are torture. If you wanted to get information out of me, you could probably put me in a room full of plug-ins and I would tell you anything you wanted to know.

My wife, on the other hand, loves how they make the house smell. Whenever I notice that she has plugged one in, I unplug and then hide the dastardly device. Last weekend, we were expecting guests for dinner and my wife really wanted me to tell her where I hid the plug-in.

I relented and retrieved it from its hiding place and plugged it in.

About a half hour later, my daughter is freaking out. Why? Because I had plugged in the air freshener…upside down…right above where my daughter’s iPhone was charging. The amount of damage that heated, scented oil can cause is incredible. It melted her plastic iPhone case. The oil had gotten under the glass and the display was ruined and the sound from the phone’s speakers was distorted. Oh, the sweet smell of Hell.

I was freaking out because I am pretty sure that iPhones that get wet are not covered by AppleCare.  I was not sure if the scented oil would trigger the ‘wet’ sensor. I told my daughter that we would try to get it replaced, but that I would not be paying full price for a new one if it the damage was not covered.

Best case: It is covered and I pay the deductible to get it replaced.
Worst case: I try to find a used iPhone 4S online

Fortunately, it was covered. Whew. A week after the incident, the Apple store ‘Genius’ could still smell the scented oil, which I thought was amusing.

My daughter was so happy. I was so happy. I will no longer touch one of those plug-ins.

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And now a haiku:

iPhone death by dad
Step up to the Genius Bar
Praise be to Apple