|
"Ridge
Hall computer assistant; may I help you?"
"Yes,
well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."
"What sort of trouble?"
"Well,
I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away."
"Went away?"
"They
disappeared."
"Hmm. So what does
your screen look like now?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"It's
blank; it won't accept anything when I type."
"Are you still
in WordPerfect, or did you get out?"
"How
do I tell?"
"Can you see the
C: prompt on the screen?"
"What's
a sea-prompt?"
"Never mind. Can
you move the cursor around on the screen?"
"There
isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."
"Does your monitor
have a power indicator?"
"What's
a monitor?"
"It's the thing
with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little
light that tells you when it's on?"
"I
don't know."
"Well, then look
on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it.
Can you see that?"
....."Yes,
I think so."
"Great! Follow
the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall."
......"Yes,
it is."
"When you were
behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into
the back of it, not just one?"
"No."
"Well, there are.
I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."
....."Okay,
here it is."
"Follow it for
me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."
"I
can't reach."
"Uh huh. Well,
can you see if it is?"
"No."
"Even if you maybe
put your knee on something and lean way over?"
"Oh,
it's not because I don't have the right angle-it's because it's dark."
"Dark?"
"Yes-the
office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window."
"Well, turn on
the office light then."
"I
can't."
"No? Why not?"
"Because
there's a power outage."
"A power... A
power outage? Aha! Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the
boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in?"
"Well,
yes, I keep them in the closet."
"Good! Go get them,
and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it.
Then take it back to the store you bought it from."
"Really?
Is it that bad?"
"Yes, I'm afraid
it is."
"Well,
all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?"
"Tell them you're
too stupid to own a computer."