Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Fax of Life

As I have mentioned before, my office is quite small. It's just Josh, myself and our machines... a fax machine and a printer. Since both are vital for us to do our jobs, they have become part of the family. The fax machine is Fred and the printer, Patty.

Fred is very finicky. If you don't feed the paper into him just right he screams like a 2 year old having a temper tantrum. Some might choose to call it "beeping" but I call it screaming.

Last week, Fred had one of these fits. Maybe it was the full moon. Maybe it was that Patty just got new toner. I'm not really sure. I just know he didn't like it when either Josh or I stuffed him with paper.
At one point, he got so mad, he chose to eat a piece.
We were working when Fred started to scream.
BEEP!
"Ugh, now what?"
BEEEEEP!
Josh walks over. "What is your deal today? You have paper!"
BEEEEEEEEPPPP!
CRUNCH! Crinkle. Crinkle.
"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good." I say.
Just then Fred spits out only half a piece of paper.
Josh opens the cover and goes in to retrieve the other piece of paper that is still in Fred's mouth. Josh does get the paper out but Fred won't give up that easy.
Josh then closes the cover.
BEEEEEEEEPPPPPP!
"You ate it! Spit it out if you don't want it anymore."
BEEEEEEEP
"THE COVER IS OPEN BECAUSE YOU SAID TO 'PLEASE OPEN COVER'!!! Now it's telling me to 'please close cover'.
BEEP
"Oh, this is going to be a fun game! Cover is again open. What would you like? Do you want more paper? Are you hungry? Well I don't know what to tell you. Check drum unit?!? What does that have to do with anything!?"

All the while I am cry laughing at my desk at the power struggle between man and machine.
I think my favorite is when Josh finally really lost it and started to beep in the same exact tone as Fred.

Finally after all was said, done and FIXED, the office was very quiet. I think that was Fred and Josh's silent male way of apologizing to each other.

Me on the other hand... I giggled about it for the rest of the day.

This is just one of the many reasons, if I won the lottery today I would still come into work tomorrow.

4 comments:

Sheleena said...

I think this has got to be one of your BEST blogs ever. I was laughing through the whole thing and then lost it complete when Josh started beeping back. OMG - seriously, this was great.

Reminds we of Office Space. PC Load Letter. What the f@#$ does PC Loat Letter mean?!?

Shannon said...

Brilliant title.

And a hilarious post.

Shelly--good call on Office Space. I may have to watch that again soon...it's been too long.

Sheleena said...

LMAO - OK seriously, did anyone catch in my comment that I spelled LOAT?

I think that was my stroke day.

Of course that would confuse you!!

Hey Becky - I rike ris a rot!

Becky said...

Sheleena's turning Japanese, I think she's turning Japanese I really THINK SO!