Sometimes, you just have take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Yesterday, the sun came out after several dreary days of rain, so I took the opportunity to go out and do a bit of yard work. There’s a fair bit of work that needs to be done around a farm to get ready for winter, and one thing I’ve learned in my nearly 30 years on a farm is that you need to take advantage of the weather when it’s in your favour.
So, there I was enjoying a bit of hard work on a gorgeous fall day, when the phone rang.
We still have a landline and we have a number of extension phones – one of which is in the barn (where I just happened to be at that moment). It’s really handy having that phone sometimes – especially since we can use any extension to call any other extension. This can be especially useful if you’re holding a squawking chicken or in some other kind of tight spot and need to call the house for help.
Anyhow, guess who was calling? It was one of those nice Microsoft service people from “Technocare” calling to “fix” my computer. Now, normally I simply try and get them to tell me WHICH of my computers is having the problem.
They never seem to be able to tell me.
However, this time, since I was in the barn, and since every time I open the door of the barn, a bunch of the chickens I hatched this year come running into the barn to see what’s up, AND since I had just done exactly that, I decided to do this phone call differently.
The chickens, you see, like to make a lot of noise when they first come in the barn, and I had trouble hearing the lady on the phone because of them. So, I did the only thing that made sense…. I said…..
“I’m sorry lady, I don’t have any computers here. I live in a barn.”
….but we have detected a problem with your computer…..
“Nope, sorry – no computer here (amidst lots of squawking and clucking).
Like I said, I live in a barn. ….. I have chickens though, listen……
(as I hold the phone up to one of my hens, who obliges me by letting out a wonderful GAWK!)…….
……….
Need any chickens? (more squawking).”
…..ummm…. I’m here to fix your computer……
“I TOLD you lady, no computers here,… only chickens. Oh, and a turkey,…. need a turkey? He’s quite friendly. Maybe you’d prefer a rabbit or two? I have those too.”
….ummm… well,…. thanks for calling.
“YOU called ME. But thanks anyways. You have a great day now, K?”
Made my whole day.
The ‘girls’ seemed to like it too.
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