Continuing Saga of Service -- "Lack of"

Cell phone still not working this morning so, decided to head up to the nearest Verizon store in north Myrtle Beach in hopes of getting a replacement battery or phone -- tried Walmart on the way but, they don't carry batteries for cell phones (only the dealers they said).  After getting one of the three Verizon service reps (two of them were helping the same customer), I explained the problem and the rep checked to see if I had purchased insurance on the phone -- don't usually do so myself and that was indeed the case so, they offered nothing except to go home and put the phone and battery into a "bag of rice" (as my sister-in-law had mentioned in an earlier email this morning).  I asked the rep if they at least had a replacement battery and though Verizon sold me the phone about a year ago, they didn't have replacement batteries or replacement phones -- again they said I could go online and order a re-built phone (and hope it would arrive before I leave Myrtle Beach).  So much for good service -- again, by another dealer.

They did indicate that I might be able to get a replacement battery at a store about 25 miles to the south -- not a Verizon store.  So, guess it will be back to the coin op phones until I get a replacement.  Meanwhile, the phone and battery are in a bag of rice in my Jeep -- at least Walmart had the rice.  Now ain't that nice.