Not only do I have to deal with the usual apartment problems—water leaks, snow removal—I am the ‘go to’ person for computer/fax/and ‘do ya have a stick of butter? problems.
So Mr. I’m-In-Charge comes through my door and announces: “I need a compooder cable.”
Me thinking, ya don’t own a computer, but you have been having cable TV problems, and methinks that they are self-inflicted. So I foolishly ask: “What kind of cable: coaxial, USB, firewire?”
Mr. I’m-In-Charge: “No, the kind with 3-prongs sticking out one end.”
Huh?
Me, confused and guessing: “Do you mean the multi-colored one for the cable and TV.”
Mr. I’m-In-Charge, irritated: “No, I’ll get it and show you.”
Me thinking, ya should have thought of that before you came up here.
Mr. I’m-In-Charge brings up a power cord, ya’know the kind for electricity.
Me, foolishly explained that this cord plugs into the back of a hard drive or cable box, that it is not a COMPUTER cable, but a POWER cord. Yep, this one right below!
Does that LOOK like a computer cable?
Mr. I’m-In-Charge now tells me that the cord is for the power scooter that he has been ‘fixing.’
Really?! A compooder cable for a scooter . . . I didn’t know that power scooters were synonymous with computers. Do they even have a circuit board?
So I let him know that the local hardware store, or the nearby Radio Shack carries them, and he gave me the blank stare. He doesn’t drive: He knows not to ask me for a ride. But he has been fixing this scooter for my brother-in-law, so therefore, I got one more errand to run. Yippee.
Do you know that it took me 45 minutes at Radio Shack to purchase a standard cord? Really, 45 minutes! That poor clerk was so overwhelmed by non-geeks who own gadgets and needed way too much help. He has nothing but sympathy from me, and respect for his patient customer service; but still, it was MY 45 minutes fetching a compooder cable.
BTW, I heard from other tenants that Mr. I’m-In-Charge had completely dissembled this scooter and that the pieces were literally scattered across his living room. This was so that he could ‘test’ every single wire. But I did meet his brother-in-law, the electrical engineer, who came by to ‘help’ put it back together. Who, to no surprise, didn’t receive any credit for cleaning up that mess. Sigh.
So dear Geeks out there, three of us need your sympathy: the electrical engineer, the Radio Shack clerk and Me, who have gone above and beyond trying to explain the mystical world of common sense to those who don't get it.
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