The man’s face went gray.

It was 11:47 PM when Leo’s elbow found his iPhone 15 Pro Max exactly where it shouldn’t have been: screen-down on the bathroom tile. The crack was that awful, final sound—like stepping on a frozen puddle. When he turned the phone over, a beautiful abstract spiderweb now decorated the display, with a black void blooming at its center.

“Cracked screen with AppleCare+?” she asked, not even looking at the phone yet.

“No, no, no…” he whispered, tapping the dead screen.

Leo: “Cracked screen. Dead display.” Annie: “I’m sorry to hear that! Let me check your coverage. One moment…” Leo: (holds breath) Annie: “Great news! Your device is covered under AppleCare+. A screen repair will cost just $29 service fee + tax. Would you like to schedule an appointment?”

She replied: “Told you so.”

Now, staring at the coverage, he felt like he’d found a forgotten $20 bill in a winter coat—except this $20 bill might save him $379.

Leo blinked. Twenty-nine dollars. He’d heard numbers like $329, $379, even $429 for the Pro Max. Twenty-nine dollars felt like a typo. He clicked “Schedule,” found a 9:00 AM slot at the Apple Store near the airport, and almost cried with relief. The next morning, he walked past the snaking line of walk-in customers—the ones with standard warranties, the ones who’d said “I’ll be careful.” A Genius named Tara took him in at exactly 9:00.