Wednesday, July 06, 2005

This is Technology II???

OK, My telephone is STILL not working. I did what they told me to do. I called the number for repairs. Another Voice-O-Matic wanted all of my vital statistics. Another wait. Another very nice repair type guy got on the phone. Please repeat your vital statisitcs. Here is the converstation:

Him: What is the telephone number that is having the problem?
Me: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Him: Are you calling from that number now?
Me:?????????(I had to take the phone away from my ear and just look at it)
Me: (Politely) No, my phone is not working, there is no dial tone, and I cannot use it. (I can't imagine what would be wrong with a phone I can use to call the repair guy with.)
Him: Do you have any cordless phones?
Me: Yes, 3.
Him: Did you check to see if they are all turned off or hung up?
Me: No, I have the IQ of a handball. (I didn't really say that of course)
Me: Yes.
Him: Sounds like you need to reset your phone.
Me: OK, how do I do that?
Him: Unplug all of the phones from the jacks in the wall, let them sit for 5 minutes, and then plug the corded phone in first and see if you have a dial tone then you can plug in the other phones. Do you have an answering machine?
Me: Yes.
Him: Unplug that from the wall too.
Me: Do I have to unplug them from the wall jacks or can I just unplug the jack from the phone?
Him: No, you have to unplug the phones from the wall jacks.
Me: SIGH
Him: Oh, there is a test box outside that has test jacks that you can plug a phone into to see if it is the phone line that is not working. You can test your line there too; but try the reset.
Me:OK
Him: If the reset doesn't work, call us back and we will take it from there.

Can you see where this is going???

Me:OK

Now, I ask you....what would be the smart thing to do here? If I really didn't have the IQ of a handball, I probably would have gone straight to the test box and ruled that out first. Right? Oh no, not I. You see, I have a history of being obedient to the forces that appear to have more authority or knowledge than me. (I still struggle with that and am trying to question authority more....because it is my firm belief that most people are not all they claim to be. I am getting better, but you would never know it from this move. Pretty sad for a woman over 50.)

Anyway, there are 3 cordless phones and 2 corded phones for this number. Did you know that the wall jacks are all behind or under something else? The worst is in my office. I have a dual jack that plugs in 2 different numbers behind my desk that weighs approximately 1000 pounds.
I WILL get to it. So I got on top of the desk and reached behind it (the jack is smack in the middle of the wall behnd the desk) knocking over modems, speakers, clocks, papers, and falling into the computer monitor in the process. I did get it unplugged. Guess what? It didn't work. Now I had to plug it back in. Here was the conversation with my youngest son(19).

Me: Brent! Can you come here a minute?
Him: What?
Me: Can you get behind here and plug this back in?
Him: Mom! why didn't you just ask me to help you?
Me: 'Cause I can do it.
Him: No you can't. Here, let me do it.

Now he is kneeling on the desk reaching behind the desk, but not knocking over all of the things I knocked over, or falling into the monitor.

Him: Which one goes in which outlet?
Me: mmmmmmmm....The top one? (Handball moment)

Now he has plugged them in, but of course, the lines were reversed and he had to get back on the desk again and switch the lines.

In the meantime, my lifelong sweetheart has gone out to the test box and determined that the line is bad by testing the line in the phone jack there.

Now to call back the repair guy.

Call, Voice-O-Matic, life history, repair guy, life history

Him: The phone didn't work when you plugged it into the test box jack?
Me: No.
Him: Well, I will write up a repair order and send someone out tomorrow. He will be out sometime between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Will someone be there in case he needs to get into the house?
Me:(%*&#zk&)....Your guess is as good as mine.

Between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.??????

Take a guess what time he showed up.... 6:55 p.m. He plugged his test phone into the test box and the line didn't work. He said: "The line is bad."

Is this for real?

They are going to send someone out tomorow to fix it.

My phone still doesn't work.

6 comments:

Tha Docta said...

That is a fantastic story. Now I see where I get my long-winded tale-telling tendencies.

Anonymous said...

And I left out some stuff! It's working now. I guess they waved their magic wand.

Zimm said...

Yeah, and some guy in India probably fixed it with the flick of a switch.

Kristy was reading over my shoulder and thought this was Shawn's post...like Mother like Son!

Anonymous said...

No doubt Mr. Patel flicked the switch somewhere.
Hi Kristy! Hope you are feeling well!

Anonymous said...

Aww mom. This is a great story! I live five minutes from you, and I had to read your blog to hear it!!

Anonymous said...

I feel like I am part of the family reading these, please, keep them coming :)