(NOT SO) GOOD FRIDAY, so far..- The difference between Tonga and the rest of the world that I know of, Tonga on Good Friday is like Sunday. Everything close and everyone is going to church to pray and commemorate the death of our lord ,Jesus Christ, for our sins. Not so for me today. First, there was a former customer called that she has leaking toilet. She made it sound like it is our fault as we worked on her toilet and bathroom before. We didnt argue but drive 1 hour over there to check it out. Come find out, yes, we replaced the toilet handle before but her flap is really old and eaten/worn out. God knows by what!!!. We reassured her that her flap is really old and needs replacement. Thank goodness we have new one in the truck. The job took 30 mins, but the driving on heavy rain wasnt fun at all. Then the phone rang and it was the plumbers Urologic Surgeons office calling with unusual unfriendly voice reminding the plumber that he has an appointment at 1400 hrs. That time was 1130 AM. The hospital is only 20 mins away from our location. After a heated back and forth questions and answers to verify of what is that appointment as he has a schedule one for tomorrow morning. She insisted that he had to come in for pre-prostrate check. Again, we didnt argue but frustrated that they cant do it tomorrow morning as previous schedule. She claimed that they are two different procedures and one has to be done today and one tomorrow. What can be too different? So, what to do to kill 2 hours before Drs visit? Went shopping for seafood as today is my (Catholic) last no meat day. Got to the farmers market, but the parking was full. It took almost 30 mins to find an available space. Why is so full? Dont tell me that all catholic are buying seafood today. Came find out that there is a FREE wine tasting with cheese inside. HOI! No wonder. Bought scallops, shrimps, clams to make a seafood linguini. Made it to the Drs office on time. Pay the $20.00. Nurse call the plumber. I was in a middle of checking facebook on my phone. Somehow I stood up and followed them whilst Facebooking. She suddenly stopped and stared me up the face, Excuse me Sir. Are you stalking me? That really shocked me out of my pyjamas. I apologized and said that I was with him. She laughed and said, Good. As I almost smack you with my paper hard board as you kept looking down at my behind - feet really. But actually I was looking at my phone facebooking whilst following them. That was a close one. She tend make a laugh of me whilst registering the plumber and invited me in. She left, but my facebook messenger free phone rang and stopped. I Looked at the ph. It was my good friend retired Navy Lt Paul Vaipuna from New Zealand. VOW!. So strange. As my facebook friends never called me on this free phone. I am the one calling them as they dont know about it. I had to cut him off as the Dr entered the room. I felt sorry for it but wondered why all these new happenings today?. Apparently, he was just testing out the free phone on facebook messenger. Dr came in and wondering why his staff couldnt schedule the two procedures to do it once tomorrow morning. It beats us but no need to argue about it as we are there. Maybe they want another $20.00. I finally got home about 3.30 PM and the 4 dogs went wild like they have seen George Clooney!!. But, it was the signal that it is their walking time and they are thrilled for me to be at home at last so that they can have their poop walk. Yes, it is true as I walk/run them between 4 - 6 pm every day and they all do their solid/liquid dispose whilst walking. I was still recovering from the nurse encounter in the hospital, but had to walk the dogs before it rains again. Some of them must have hold it waiting for me. Poor doggies. I tried short cutting the walk, but it was good to keep it long in order to ponder long and deep on what has happened so far. Got back home about 4.30 and wanted to go back onto facebook and finish telling the story of last night Jersey boys musical show. I logged on the computer and open the internet browser. As I typed facebook url, my new 4 and half months HP Pavillion 500 desktop with window 8 started flashing rapidly. It then froze whilst other computer features kept flashing. What is going on? Why is it happening today? So, I called HP Support as I am still warranty. Man? Have you every experienced the automated phone anywhere? It is so frustrating. I even used 4 different accents of pronouncing, Desk top or tech Support, but the automated woman still dont understand it. After 20 mins going back and forth willing for the automated machine to say Operator , it got through. Then, the waits began whilst some annoying music is played along. Then an Indian accent guy answered and requested full name; email, ph #, Ser #, Product # etc. After telling him the problem, he said that he will connect me through to the tech support. After another lengthy waiting, an old Caucasian woman accent answered and request the same info again. After explaining it all over again, she said that I have a software problem and it will cost $49.00 for them to provide the service, meaning to look at it and try to fix it. And then I have to pay the same every month in order for them to fix any future problems. That time, my high blood pressure is rising rapidly, but I tried to calm down. I shout, not yell. Woman, I am still warranty as I just bought the computer last December, and I am not paying for anything at all. This is your product and it is your problem. Not mine. She insisted that she cant do anything until I pay and my warranty is only cover the hardware problems, NOT soft wares. Well, I was fuming at that time. Steam gushing out my ears and nose. Good knows where else. I yelled this time. You are telling me that your own software is having problem and I have to pay you to fix it, whilst it is still under warranty. And the warranty didnt specify that it only cover software. That is fine as I just return the computer and get a new one. She replied, But that wont fix your problem. It was so intimidating that I wish I could reach through the phone and pull her out. She then said in a sales tone, We can discount it for you today with $14.00 and then we will charge the normal price of $49.00 for the next month and so on. That is it. I was sizzling. Blood boiling. hairs standing up. Fingers clenched like tigers. Feet ready like Kung Fu Panda. My mind was blank at the time thinking of what to do as I cant go anywhere with this suspicious Tech Support Agent, HELL knows where in Europe. She suddenly asked me whether she can refer me back to the Warranty Department to see what is the problem with my warranty. I said in mili second with loud sounding deep voice, YES PLEASE. She fainted out as the boring music started playing again. After another long long wait and willing for someone to say something as it is now almost an hour and half on the phone. An Indian accent voice said, This is Kevin...something, as it was hard for me to understand. I said to myself, dont tell me it is the same guy again that first answered the phone. He first asked my full name again, which I have to spell it phonetically for the third time. He requested all other info that I have provided earlier. Then he said, he would get into my computer to have a look. I agreed without hesitation, Get in there and see what is going on. He started asking whether I play games on the computer and whether I have changed the hardware or soft wares and all those technical questions. Man or man. He sounds like he is accusing me of wrecking the soft wares. My anger management control is now flying off my head like bullets, but somehow I was cool about it and didnt say anything else, but a big loud long NOooooooo. After almost close to an hour working with him on my screen, the computer was back to normal. He insisted that I spare one minute to talk to his manager. I said, fine. I just wanted to end the whole ordeal. And this time I asked him to spell his last name so that I can give a good comments of him to his Manager. It turned out to be, Kevin Dsouza. OOOM, that doesnt sound Indian to me at all. My ph batteries almost to the red mark. I am high and dry and need a cold water drink to cool down. I quickly answered all the Managers queries and verification, etc, and thanked them for their great services. They gave me the real HP Tech Support number to call if I ever have any problems in the future. I told him about the other Tech Support Agent that wanted me to pay and saying that my warranty only covered soft wares. He said, no worries as you are covered until end of November. I wonder why it is so complicated and suspicious with HP other Tech support, but so easy for them to entice us to buy their defect products. Maybe there is an Indian conspiracy tech support fixing Agent that HP dont know off. That whole HP phone tech support call took 3 hours!!!!. The rain started pouring heavy and thunder roared in the distant. It was just after 7 pm and it was time to cook my seafood. As I almost finished cooking, three loud thunders boom shook the house and the power went off. Great!!!. Everything is shut down. The house was so dark except the gas flame and my phone. I reached for the small torch but not working. OH Lord!. What can it be now? I started to wonder again of why all these happenings today on good Friday. I was laughing at myself and then the power came back on. PHEW!!. I quickly finish cooking the seafood liquini and ate in a flash just in case the power goes off again. Now I am desperate to share the story before the computer either flashing again or the power goes off again as the thunder storm still booming loud outside. There you have it my family and friends. MY (Almost) GOOD FRIDAY happening and I hope it will continue to be more adventurous and exciting for the rest of the Easter holidays. May you all have a Happy and Safe Easter today and tomorrow and may you all start anew AGAIN by Monday.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 02:58:40 +0000