Bwog�s Mac has been acting up lately, necessitating a trip to the Apple Store at 58th and Fifth. Luckily, the wonderland of glass and white plastic is open 24/7, which can lead to some odd experiences. Bwog contributor Kate Redburn spent some time at the Genius Bar in the wee hours of the morning, and has this report.

geniusGentle, non-fluorescent lighting in the Apple Store creates the illusion of permanent day, making a recent 2:00 AM visit to the store much the same as a visit during normal business hours. Shoppers, mostly men, stroll through geometric displays, and employees diligently man on-floor positions. After a few minutes, the cast of characters starts to repeat itself.

 

Stalker Employee

Profile: Possibly the most dangerous and easily the most annoying person you will encounter at the Apple Store, Stalker Employee will not answer any questions for �confidentiality reasons.� Beware. He will follow you around the sparsely populated store, quickly jumping into casual poses when you glance in his direction.

Reason for being there: It�s his job.

Post-bar Buddy: Profile: Bleary eyed bar hoppers also have a strong showing late at night. These guys hobble from spotless display to spotless display, and are prone to random bouts of laughter. In between turning dials on iPod speakers, they stop to marvel at the cylindrical elevator in the center of the store.

Reason for being there: They need new nanos.

Detached Tourist

Profile: Speaking in a flowery European patois and sporting triple-knotted scarves, these tourists glide between displays as if browsing a museum, sweeping delicate fingers over MacBook screens. Apparently disinterested in the actual merchandise, the tourists take in the room, allowing Apple�s glorious combination of architecture and consumerism to wash over them.

Reason for being there: Para ver a loja de Apple, naturalmente!

Ambiguous Girlfriend

Profile: Is she dating a Genius from the Genius bar? Is she here with a customer? Or, more curious, did she go to the Apple Store expressly to meet men? It�s hard to say definitively whose girlfriend she is, but this chick is certainly not here for the new Macbook Pro. She wanders more deliberately than the tourists, eyeing each man in the Genius Bar and checkout lines.

Reason for being there: Unclear.