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