you can't make this stuff up, folks

so one of our staff places a support call to a certain oem who shall remain nameless.

evidently, the c key had come off one of our laptops.

and that's come off as in...our tech had it in the palm of his hand during the call.

now...this is supposed to be the top dog, fastest response, etc. etc. from this particular oem.

what follows is your friendly neighborhood happyfunboy's dramatic re-enactment of a little one act play he wrote this afternoon titled...

starts with d...rhymes with hell

phone monkey: "hello...tech support. how may i help you?"
captain joyful: "yes, i'd like to report a problem with one of our laptops"
phone monkey: "certainly..i can help you with that."

[basic information exchange ensues...lasts interminably. finally...]

phone monkey: "so, what seems to be the problem?"
captain joyful: "the c key came off."
phone monkey: "the what key?"
captain joyful: "the c key."
phone monkey: "so the key doesn't work?"
captain joyful: "there's no key there any more. it came off."
phone monkey: "i see...can you push the key?"
captain joyful: "noooo...it's not attached...to...the...machine...anymore."
phone monkey: "mmmm-hmmmm...yes...well...do the other keys work?"
captain joyful: "wha?"
phone monkey: "the other keys sir...do they still...work...?"
captain joyful: "yesssssssss...since they are still attached, they do work."
phone monkey: "ok...so it sounds to me like a software issue...and i will need to connect you with that group."

[captain joyful bangs handset on desk several times...stop and sniffs it briefly...then continues banging away as curtain falls.]

that particular support person should count himself very lucky i wasn't the one on the phone with him.