My iPhone arrives, however....

After 2 weeks waiting (the G3 16Gb is on back order, too popular, go figure!) I receive another mail that my iPhone is still on back order. in the afternoon the receptionist calls me:

"Herr Sternsdorf Ihr iPhone ist angekommen, können Sie mit ihrem Pass vorbeikommen?" (Mr. Sternsdorf, your iPhone has arrived, can you come downstairs with your passport?

I had it sent to work to avoid the thing going back because nobody is at home when they deliver (random weekday, random time in the day, Don't these people know, usually weekdays are working days???

Anyway, the receptionist calls me (she is instructed: "was there a package from T-Mobile for me today?" was my version of "Good Morning" for the last week or so. So she knows and tries to help) HOWEVER:

Turns out :T-Mobile has instated a high-security fraud -protection program to "help" customers to avoid identity theft, and when I arrive the delivery man asks for a valid registration or an old ID card (!!!!????) with the address on it. Problem, since I am not going to live permanently in this apartment I am not yet registered, and I do not have anything official. After 9 years in US my old ID card would not show my current address here in Hamburg, 2009 either, let alone I usually don't roam the city carrying old and expired ID cards with me... "No, I cannot deliver then, if you cannot verify your address". PANIC STRIKES!

HEY, T-mobile has my BANK CONNECTION, This is my WORK PLACE, I am there IN PERSON, holding my VALID PASSPORT, how much more can I prove its really me and I do live and work in Hamburg???????

I am telling the guy , I just returned from 9 years abroad, live in a temporary place, and have not registered myself with an address I will only stay at for a few weeks, just to line up again when I'm at the final place. (residence registration is mandatory in Germany and involves about half a day sitting around in overcrowded rooms, for the US, it corresponds roughly to an unreserved DMV visit. You don't do it more often than absolutely necessary. Stressed out receptionists and state employees. Not the most friendly of places, at least in bigger cities. The receptionist is as surprised as I am "Das kann doch nicht angehen??"

Believe it or not, despite me and our receptionist both talking the guy into delivering the package, he is about to TAKE IT BACK!!! I am getting desperate, I guess the delivery guy sees the panic in my eyes, and, miraculously, he SHOWS MERCY (or common sense) " OK: Mir ist das jetzt zu bloed! Ich lass das jetzt trotzdem hier" "OK: This is too stupid/I've had enough, I leave it here anyway" Which is a bold thing to do for an employee. Well, in fact he's not German. He comments that they deliver about 20 iPhones a day right now and, no wonder, its the same circus every time/every place. And when they cannot deliver they have to TRY AGAIN another time!!

He is worn out and way behind his work schedule.

THANK GOD FOR FOREIGNERS WORKING IN GERMANY!!!!!!!