Once the sobbing had subsided to a more manageable level, I gathered my thoughts sufficiently to undertake some research as to what I should do next about my damaged macbook screen.

Whilst browsing various Internet forums, I found one useful post which asked if the user had bought the machine with a credit card, as sometimes this gives you extra insurance cover.

I had!

I had bought it with my HSBC Premier Mastercard! What amazing foresight on my part! It was almost as if I knew I would fuck it up within a month.

I dialled the bank immediately, and the nice lady said yes, there was cover available, but you need to register the product you have bought and that she would now kindly transfer me to the relevant department.

“Hello, I was err, wondering what extra coverage I would get if I bought a laptop with my credit card?” I asked politely.

The nice lady went on to explain how the policy worked and how, if I paid in full with the credit card (I had), then I would receive an extra two years of warranty including parts and labour and three years of accidental damage cover.

Three whole years of accidental damage cover!

I was comfortably two years and eleven months inside the three year limit so this news was like angels singing, except the angels are all really fit and topless. I broke out my first smile in over twenty four hours.

“That’s great, great news. Really. Right, I would like to register my laptop as purchased on the card then please.”

“Certainly Sir, first I’ll need to take some details. What make of laptop is it?”

“It’s a Mac, more specifically a Macbook.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Erm, I just need to check something. I’ll be back in just one moment.”

This was not good. It never is. People never say they’ll be back in one moment and them come back and say “Congratulations, you are our one millionth customer! Have some free cash, tax free!”. A few moments later, she came back.

“Hello Sir, I am afraid that we can’t cover Apple products as part of the policy.”

“What? You just told me about the cover I’d get for buying it with my credit card, which I did.”

“I know, but we don’t cover Apple products as they won’t allow us access to the parts we need to make the repairs.”

“So what you are telling me, is that the extra coverage you go on about in all the literature, is only applied to an approved list of products? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“You would have to check back with your bank I’m afraid.”

I hung up feeling even lower than I had before making the call. The possibility of a reprieve had been dangled in front of me and then cruelly snatched away again.

I went back to preparing for life with a watermark.

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