XBox Misfire #1 :(

So last year (oh, happy NY btw) I cashed in some 90,000 AMEX points, and ordered myself two gift vouchers from Harvey Norman in order to buy an XBOX 360. This was mainly after my experience playing GOW with Chris, Nick and Graham in the office, but also because all the kids in the neighborhood have one, and won't let me hang out on the monkey bars until I too succumb (and yes, I'm 29 years old!).

Anyhoo, the lady on the phone who placed my order assured my that while there was a terrible backlog for vouchers, I could receive them by registered mail as soon as the first week of 2007! Oh joy I thought!

Well, last night when I arrived home from toiling at work (think that scene in Zoolander with Derek jumping from the mine wall), I found a letter from Aussie Post saying that a registered mail item was awaiting collection by thy self from the post office up the road! Well, my pea brain put 2 and 3 together and figured it must be the vouchers for my XBOX 360! So I rang the post office, but they were closed :( "Oh well" I thought, I can wait until morning to collect my booty!

Well, as you can imagine, it was a pretty tough night, I was rolling and turning, thinking about playing my new XBOX 360, the enjoyment I would have, the laughs I would laugh, just the sheer frivolity was just too much to take! I ended up waking up around 4am and subjecting myself to Creflo just to bide the time until the post office opened!

Anyway, I lined up outside the post office before it opened with a couple of oldies who I knew were going to give me grief in my quest to secure my vouchers early. One little old lady in particular shook off my glare (you know the one that says, "I've got a toy on the end of this errand mama, don't turn this beautiful moment ugly!!") with that, "I was here first, and will take my time sonny!".

So we line up, and sure enough, she binds up the poor dude at the counter with the gory tasks of helping her find a postcode so she can send her grandson a belated Christmas present... Hello! Not my problem Grammie couldn't get to Toyworld in an expedient enough manner due to bronchitis!! I gotta get my greasies on an XBOX 360! Anyway, another counter opens, and I run up with my little slip in hand, and before long, I have the registered post letter.

Now, at this point, I'm feeling like Charlie when he's opening up the chocolate wrapper looking for the golden ticket (I even have the same expression and am smacking my chops), and I also realise that over the shopping center speakers, Shania Twain's "From this moment" is playing (oh the synchronicity!). I peel back the envelope flap, peer in, and to my absolute disappointment... no vouchers!!! I seriously almost fell to my knees and slumped over like that time I bought stocks in OS/2 Warp! Instead of XBOX 360 enabling vouchers, it was the tickets Yil and I had booked for Varekai! :(

Oh well, me and the XBOX 360 Live subscription and the shiny, unwrapped copy of GOW will have to continue our vigil.