It was one of those weeks.

Sometimes when you shout, “Enough,” no one hears you. I turned the other cheek, two, maybe, three times, counted to ten, took deep breaths and meditated, all before last Friday evening. That’s when it happened.

Repeat after Me: Computers do NOT like liquids of any kind.

After finishing some work on my laptop computer, I grabbed my coffee cup to carry it to the kitchen. You know the end of this story, don’t you? The cup wobbled in my grasp, tilted and cold coffee spilled on my laptop. I grabbed some paper towels, wiped it dry (I thought) and then turned it upside down, shaking the hell out of it. I did not turn it off.  My laptop immediately started behaving erratically and, after finally shutting it down, would not restart.

“Uh-oh.”  (That’s not  what I really said.)

The next morning (No, I did not sleep well.) I was at the Genius Bar at my local Apple Store. I explained my dilemma to three of the employees as I worked my way to the “right” fix-it specialist. The conversations went like this:

Me: “My computer doesn’t work and I need someone to look at it.”

Employee: “No problem. We’ll have someone take a look and get that fixed for you.”

Me: “I spilled coffee on it.”

Employee: Pain. Grimace. Frown. “Oh, that’s not good.”

Three times. Same conversation. I became more alarmed.

By noon I was sitting on a stool at the Genius Bar counter facing Jay, my specialist. There were seven other customers, all on stools with computer problems of their own, working with their specialists. Jay looked kind. I explained the problem.

“My first two words to you,” he said, “Sippy Cup.”

Everyone at the Genius Bar laughed. It’s an intimate area, conversations are not private, and everyone is curious to know your computer dilemma.

“I’m going to take it in the back and have a look,” he told me, “but I think it’s toast.”   

In ten minutes he was back. “Yes, I was right. Look at this.” 

Jay pointed to pictures on his iPhone which showed my laptop’s innards with puddles of coffee and moisture still present. “It must have been good coffee,” he joked. “Your computer smells good.”

Ha. Ha.

How his iPhone x-rayed my laptop, I will never know, but his evidence was damaging to my case. The good news, my hard drive was salvageable.

“You have two options,” he continued. “Fix this laptop. The cost for that is $1275 or buy a new laptop.”

It got very quiet at the Genius Bar as everyone waited for my decision. I had already turned a pale white. Would I go ballistic? Would I cry? What was going to happen?Ballistic’s not my style. Although I am a crier, this was not a crying opportunity. I raised my hands and said, very sarcastically, “Well, since money’s no object…..” and did a face plant on the counter.”

Jay laughed, “She’s going to buy a new computer.”

Now these antics of mine always embarrass my kids, and I feel their pain. On the contrary, at the Genius Bar, everyone breathed a sign of relief, was amused, and got back to their rather minor, compared to mine, problems.

Jay handed me off to David to sell me a computer? Since my coffee-stained MacBook Pro was only 2 1/2 years old, the question was whether to just buy another MacBook Pro or go with the newer MacBook Air.  I always lean towards newer, bigger, better, but I had loved my MacBook Pro.

What to do?  It became a group decision. On Saturday, there were more than 35 employees on the floor, many whom had given me computer lessons.  Troy, Jon, Alphonso, Mariano, and Jay huddled, ask questions and weighed in with advice. The overwhelming consensus? MacBook Air.

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon. I am sitting in my office writing this Post on my new 13” MacBook Air. The turnaround time from caputz computer to replacement, albeit expensive, was less than 24-hours. I’ve already re-worked my May/June budget, dipped into my stormy day pot, and filed this under Lessons Learned.

As I was leaving the Apple store, needing just one more shot to my stupidity,  Jay cautioned, “Mary, I want you to understand that your new computer is not going to smell as aromatic as your old one.”

Again. Ha. Ha.

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Free Advice:  If you spill liquid on your computer, immediately turn it off. Just as immediately, wipe it off. Then turn it over. Probably, shaking violently is not a good idea but try to get all the liquid to drip out. Once this is done, blast it with a computer air duster. DO NOT use a hair dryer. Then, pray.