Briefs On Site Support

Let me set the stage for this tale. I was working at a small computer repair store. Though small it may be we made tidy a profit every month. How you ask, it's simple by milking our customers dry we had I think it was called MSTs? Anyways basically contract IT work for other companies.

Now for on site support I was the only other tech other than our senior tech / part owner, because Googling every other minute reflects poorly on the company (that was if we even could, most of the time we had no data connections). They weren't bad per say it was just that they don't handle authority and pressure well at all. Except for BumblingTech. You can guess why he got the name. Now onwards to the story!

I was in the middle of replacing the USB ports on a laptop when a call came in. I almost drop the soldering iron as it surprised me. Maybe a HTC M7 turned to full loudness was a bad idea. As well increasing the strength of the vibration motor. I take the call while still working on the repair thanks to bluetooth headphones (oh how I miss you) so I had no caller ID.

IdiocyOperations: Hello this is IdiocyOperations. How can I help you?
SeniorTech: When did we open a call centre?
IdiocyOperations: Ever since you've been giving my number to clients. Either give me a raise or I stop answering.
I hear a laugh at the other end.
IdiocyOperations: What do you need?
SeniorTech: I need you to go to the house of ArchitectureClientCEO and reinstall Windows 7 on his laptop. Think you can do it or do you need me to hold your hand?
IdiocyOperations: Wait you're sending me alone? And for a Windows reinstall? Just tell him to bring it in or pick it up yourself.
SeniorTech: He is insisting on it. Besides if you do it I'll let you off early and treat you to UsusalRestaurant. What do you say?
He had me at leaving work early which meant I finish two hours early, but to throw in a free meal at UsusalRestaurant as well? There was no way I could have said no. In hindsight that may have been exactly what he had be hoping for as well
SeniorTech: Great I'll pick you up in 30 minutes. Bye.

30 minutes? That's enough time to finish everything I need to do on the laptop but if I have to pack... Wait BumblingTech is a few feet away installing Windows on some machine. Most likely he is just watching progress bars. I turn to face the security monitor and lo and behold he is exactly staring at progress bars as I thought.

IdiocyOperations: BumblingTech!
He didn't hear me.
IdiocyOperations: BumblingTech!!
He still didn't hear me.
IdiocyOperations: BUMBLINGTECH!!
Wait is he sleeping on the job? The job maybe easy but sleeping on company time is a bit too much.
IdiocyOperations: Okay Google call BumblingTech.
Google: Okay BumblingTech stands up and starts walking like I called him for the first time calling BumblingTech.

BumblingTech has never been happy that I as the new hire outranked him. The first week or so he used his seniority quite liberally, but when the owners realized that I knew far more than other techs enough to be a senior tech so they pretty much forced put me in charge of the shop.

Basically they got technical expertise and middle management for the low low price of a junior tech. Even then I was quite restrained with my powers, unlike some other techs *coughcough* oh sorry something caught in my throat. BumblingTech never saw it that way. To him everything I said was abusing my powers of middle management. Even if was part of his job description. I sometimes do wish that some of his errors were actual maleficence instead of ignorance and arrogance.

IdiocyOperations: Hey BumblingTech I need you to pack everything we would need to take to a site to install Windows 7.
BumblingTech: I'm using your pen drive to install Windows. After that yeah.
IdiocyOperations: Not only the pen drive I also want the DVDs and the ROM.
BumblingTech: Why?
IdiocyOperations: Because I need to go to a site and install Windows 7.

BumblingTech shrugs and goes around looking for everything. There is a reason why I have is set aside for everything. There is no reason for him to walk around the shop to try and search for stuff. Let him be I decided, I'm already feeling under the weather and I do not want to deal with him any more. Back to the motherboard.

30 Minutes Later

I checked that I had my pen drive, pack of DVDs, the external DVD ROM and USB cable for it are in my bag as Senior Tech pulls up. Laptop was done. Basically everything I needed to do today was done. And so I'm off on the back seat of Senior Tech's beaten up, probably illegal (due to the amount of stuff that has or is failing) to drive motorcycle. With no protection.

The apartment he dropped me off is a high end gated affair. That is a minutes walk away from my own home. He knew that there was no way I was coming back after I was done if I was this close to home. I buzz the apartment so that they can let me in. I get an older woman who tells me she is letting me through.
So I wait.

10 Minutes Later

Some couple lets me through after seeing me wait. I tried to contact ArchitectureClientCEO but whatever method I used never connected. I make my way to the designated floor to see no doorbell. So I knock. And knock.

The lady I probably talked to downstairs opens the door and looks at me.

Lady: Who are you?
IdiocyOperations: I am IdiocyOperations from TechCompany. I was called here to fix a laptop belonging to ArchitectureClientCEO. We spoke on the intercom a few minutes ago.
Lady: Surefineheisinthatroom.

And she had closed the door to the elevator before she actually pointed to a door. Great. I do some sleuthing and figure out that is the bedroom farthest from the front door (TV noise). The one room she couldn't actually point towards because it is off to a side. I knock.

ArchitectureClientCEO: Come in.

Oh how I wish I never did. I open the room to find a man on the bed in briefs. Not just any man. ArchitectureClientCEO. So there was no way I could run away. I quickly turn away before my eyes deteriorate any further than they already have. I look around and my eyes focus on the night stand. It prevented me from seeing any more of what might become a sexual harassment lawsuit and it kept my mind from recalling what I had just seen.

Why? Because there were two laptops. Not one as I was led to believe.

IdiocyOperations: So on which one do I reinstall Windows? ArchitectureClientCEO: What do you mean? IdiocyOperations: Um... Which laptop did you want me format and install Windows on.

I find that format usually jogs the users brain into making the connection.

ArchitectureClientCEO: Both of them.

And so I worked. I worked in front of a man only in briefs (he wouldn't let me work anywhere else). For more than three hours!!! Because Windows installs never go according to plan. And that users lie all the time.

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So yeah first time poster, month long reader so be gentle. I'm sorry I dragged this for so long and still haven't gotten to the great bit, only the good bit. Blame having to reach a word count every day. The story was supposed to be single post but I felt like that you guys need to read all of the little things that led to this. I will post the about the Windows installs later but I really need to be doing this assignment first.