The Litter Box
~ Thursday, March 24, 2005
"Thank you for calling [company]. This is [Onyx] I can help you.""Hi, we can't get on the internet."
"OK, lets get you verified and I'll be happy to help you with that."
[verify]
"OK ma'am, you can't get on the internet." [Pulling the modem up in tools. NO modem.] "What lights do you have on the modem?"
"Uh..no lights."
"No lights. OK, is it plugged in?"
"Well, I had it plugged into the wall recepticle, you know, the one with two plugs?"
"Yes."
"Well, it wasn't getting any lights, so I moved it to a power strip."
"Is it in the powerstip now?"
"Yes."
"And it's still not getting any lights?"
"No."
"OK, well lets check to make sure the other end of the power cable is plugged into the modem."
"Well, right now I have the grey cord that goes from the modem to the computer, and I have the white cable that goes from the floor to the modem."
"...ok, what about the power cable?"
"Well, it's plugged into the power strip."
....
"OK, the power cable to the modem is plugged into the power cable?"
"Yes"
"and what else?"
[silence]
"Well, right now I have the grey cord that goes from the modem to the computer, and I have the white cable that goes from the floor to the modem."
[leans way back in the chair, staring at the ceiling, kneading stress putty]
"Ma'am, the modem needs electricity, right?"
"Yes."
"Where is it getting it from?"
"From the power strip."
"Look at the modem and tell me which cord goes into the power strip."
[silence]
"oooooh!!"
"Yes."
"Where is the other end of the power cable?"
"Well, right now I have the grey cord that goes from the modem to the computer, and I have the white cable that goes from the floor to the modem."
.....
"Yes, you said that, but there should be a power cable there."
"It's plugged into my computer."
[sigh]"No ma'am, your modem power is separate from your computer power. The only thing plugged in to your computer is the big fat phone looking cable."
"Yes, that's going from the modem to the computer."
"Right. But you have no electricity going to your modem."
"Well it's plugged into the power strip!"
[grabbing for stress putty and kneading furiously]"Well, ma'am, that power cable has two ends. One end is plugged into the power strip, the other is plugged into what?"
posted by Nikki B at 6:38:00 PM