So, today at work, I had a very fun conversation with someone who wanted to "fix" my computer. I've had these quite often before, and hanging up doesn't seem to help. I think they just put me back in the pool of numbers to try again later. I thought I'd share a transcript of what happened for your entertainment. A little bit of important information first: I work mainly on a Mac which made this interaction even more amusing, and let's face it, you gotta have some fun at work.
ME: Hello? (Long pause as I wait for the auto-dialer to connect me to some telemarketer or worse)
HIM: Hello?
ME: Hello!
HIM: (Thick, hard-to-understand accent) Hello sir, I am calling from the Microsoft Windows Repair Department. We see on the Internet that your computer has an error and we need to correct this. Are you sitting near your computer?
ME: Yes.
HIM: Can you please be in front of your computer now?
ME: Yes?
HIM: Thank you sir. Do you see on your keyboard?
ME: OK... (I look down at my Mac keyboard)
HIM: Do you see the control key on the bottom left corner?
ME: Yes, I see it. It's right here.
HIM: OK, now do you see the key right next to it? The Windows key? It has the 4 squares.
ME: The "4" key? Yes that's here too! (He must mean the number 4 key because I don't see a Windows key!)
HIM: OK, please now hold down the keys and the "R".... Did anything come up?
ME: No...
HIM: Sir, what is showing on your screen now?
ME: Well, I see a clock.... I see the desktop.... I see a background image....
HIM: What did you press?
ME: I pressed what you told me: the control key the "4 key" and the R.
HIM: No, no. Please sir, just press the Windows key and the R. (After a pause) Sir, what is showing on your screen now?
ME: Well, I see a clock.... I see the desktop.... I see a background image....
HIM: (Pause) What else is showing on your desktop. Sir, can you tell me the names of the windows?
ME: (I start dropping some clues) Well, I see "Safari"... "iCalendar".... "iTunes".... "Preferences"....
HIM: What buttons did you press?
ME: I pressed the 4 key and the R.
HIM: (Chuckles) Sir, you are a donkey. You are a bastard. You waste my time, go fuck yourself. (Disconnects)
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I really like how he maintained his customer service etiquette with that last part, "Sir, you are a donkey". It's too bad, I was hoping he'd finally realize he had been talking to someone on a Mac.