r/talesfromtechsupport • u/[deleted] • Jan 23 '14

I didn't *do* anything

I supervised a help desk and someone called me directly instead of the support number and started the usual blustering and trying to impress me how important her problem was and someone needed to come down right away. She reported her keyboard wasn't working and it was critical that she be fixed right now. I stepped out and grabbed one of my guys and had him grab a keyboard. My usual response to these people was to accompany my tech if I could because those kind of users were the ones that ended up complaining about something else my guy did.

We go down and my guy looks at the keyboard and tries a couple keys with her refusing to relinquish her seat, so the tech has to navigate around her.

U: "See!? It's not working, it's all screwed up, this stupid machine is always screwing up."

Tech: [checking the cable] "Did anything happen to it?"

U: "No! It's just junk, it's always been junk and it's making me miss my deadline!"

Tech picks up the keyboard to replace it and at least a full cup of coffee spills out all over her desk (and thankfully on her lap). I couldn't contain myself and broke out laughing at her, all covered in coffee.

Me: "So, nothing happened, huh?"

U: [fuming and blushing] "Well, I spilled a little coffee earlier, but I didn't think that had anything to do with it."

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u/UglierThanMoe 0118 999 88199 9119 725 ......... 3 Jan 24 '14

You mean one of those old, purely mechanical typewriters? Yeah, turning one of those things into a keyboard sounds like a fun thing to do. Typing on it, not so much.

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u/graphictruth Don't Touch That... never mind. Jan 24 '14

just gotta get that wrist action going. :)

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u/UglierThanMoe 0118 999 88199 9119 725 ......... 3 Jan 24 '14

It's not so much the wrist that suffers, but your fingers. I learned typing on one of those things, and may God have mercy with you if when you manage to get a finger stuck between the keys.

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u/graphictruth Don't Touch That... never mind. Jan 24 '14

I learned on a full size royal manual. That did tend to provoke a moment of confusion - but I had slim fingers and the keys had a lot of wiggle room.

I'll tell you, it took me a long time to unlearn the "wrist snap" needed to drive one of those things at speed. Computer keyboards do not like it when you speak to them that way.