People watching at the Apple store

Beatlemania is back -- at least according to the affable assistants at the Apple Store.

Walked in about 7:30 last night to get my iPod checked out. (New battery, $59.95 plus tax, should take a week.) The Liverpool lads were bouncing off the walls. Posters peppered the place. In case you ain't heard, their music has come to iTunes.

I stood in the corner, trying not to look too impatient, strummed an air guitar to "Get Back," and looked.

One preppy guy wore a pissed off look on his face. It took him FOREVER to get waited on, then when he got up to the help desk (Genius Bar in Apple lingo), he pulls out this HUGE, awesome looking monitor. I think he got a new one.

Beside him sat this good looking blond-haired woman who reminded me of the girl I had a crush on back in the 8th grade. She was dressed well and glanced around the room when she got bored. Don't know what her problem was, but she was still there when I left.

My iPod needed to be charged, so I nodded to the Girl Genius, leaned back against the wall and mouthed the words to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

A forty-something couple walked in with a motherboard.

"Is this your first Mac?" I heard Guy Genius ask.

"Yeah. Well, first one since the 1980s."

Guy Genius laughed.

Girl Genius was making headway on my iPod when this stylish teen sporting what looked like snow boots walked in. She had a problem with her iPhone. Guy Genius No. 2 told her it would take awhile. She'd have to come back.

When Girl Genius told me I could either order a new battery or get 10 percent off a new iPod, I was tempted. The new Classics hold something like 140 gig (mine has 30). But Christmas is coming and I couldn't justify it. New battery is fine.

Don't want to craft a commercial here, but the Geniuses were great. Best customer service I've seen in some time.

Just as I left somebody turned the music down.

Please, please me, oh yeah, like I please you...