(Fwd) Irrelevant posting - but fun

[Nancy Hoft <nhoft -at- WORLD-READY -dot- COM>]

Hi all,

This is something some of you might get a chuckle out of ...  I got
it from the NARRATE list, which got it from the WHIM list. And so the
family tree grows.

Cheers, Nancy

>Date:         Tue, 16 Sep 1997 10:02:55 -0500
>Reply-To: "WHIM - a discussion list for \"Humour Studies\""
><WHIM -at- postal -dot- tamu -dot- edu>
>Sender: "WHIM - a discussion list for \"Humour Studies\""
><WHIM -at- postal -dot- tamu -dot- edu>
>From: Jeff Stark <LIB -dot- PO1 -dot- JSTARK -at- CIS-GW -dot- TAMU -dot- EDU>
>Subject:      Great Minds
>To: WHIM -at- postal -dot- tamu -dot- edu
>Status: U
>
>Actual dialog of a former Wordperfect Customer Support employee:  >
>"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."
>

Joachim Knuf
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
University of Kentucky                                  (606) 257-4102 (O)
231 Grehan Building                                     (606) 257-4103 (F)
Lexington, KY 40506-0042 USA                            jknuf -at- pop -dot- uky -dot- edu

Please visit the web site of the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NARRATIVE at
                http://www.uky.edu/~jknuf/narrative_conference/


N A N C Y   H O F T
Ph.D. Student, Rhetoric and Technical Communication
Michigan Technological University
PHONE: +1 906/482.5658  FAX: +1 906/482.0019
SMAIL: 209 W. Douglass Ave, Houghton, MI 49931-2221 USA
EMAIL: mailto:nlhoft -at- mtu -dot- edu -or- mailto:nhoft -at- world-ready -dot- com
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