Apple really has the retail store experience down to a science at this point. My trip to the local Apple Store took less than two minutes – I would have been hard-pressed to get in and out of McDonald’s any faster. But the experience was, of course, considerably better.

I’m a resident of Massachusetts, and here we have toll roads – the Mass Turnpike – as well as tolls in some bridges and tunnels. Many residents who are infrequently travelers of these roads have to stop and pay toll collectors cash. The lines at major toll plazas can stretch for miles on holiday weekends.

To make it easier, the state has implemented a “Fast Lane” system that uses an electronic transponder. They’ll send one in the mail for free – you’re supposed to affix it to the inside of your windshield. It’s linked to a credit card or bank account, and it enables you to breeze through those toll plazas without having to stop.

My experience earlier this week at the Apple Store was just about that easy.

I’m occasionally called upon to do presentations within my areas of expertise, and this week I was called to do just that. I had put together a Keynote presentation I planned to give on my MacBook and began the long journey northward to the location of the presentation.

About half an hour from home – one-third of the way to my destination – I realized that I’d forgotten the video adapters I’d need to connect the MacBook to a digital projector the client had waiting for me. I knew that I’d only have minutes to spare, so I had no time to turn around and retrieve what I’d forgotten.

All was not lost, however, as Apple’s Derby Street retail location in Hingham, Mass. was right on the way.

As soon as I opened the door, one of the Specialists greeted me and asked how he could help. I told him what I needed – a Mini DisplayPort to DVI and Mini DisplayPort to VGA connector. I wasn’t sure which I’d need, as the client didn’t tell me what they had ahead of time, so I decided to get both.

He led me to the peg on the wall where those connectors were, advised me that I could return the unopened one for a full credit, whipped out his handy iPod touch-based point of sale system, scanned the two items, whisked my credit card through, and asked me if I wanted the receipt e-mailed to me.

“Need a bag?” he asked.

I told him no and I was on my way.

That was it. Done. And I was precisely on time at the client’s, which made us both quite happy.

Obviously, not every transaction at every Apple Store is that fast or that precise. But it was one of those cases where the system worked exactly how it was supposed to. That’s very much a testament to how finely honed Apple has managed to make the retail store experience, and it’s made my life infinitely easier in the process.