"Ben", a technician at my ISP with whom I just "chatted" in a "Live Chat" session about the problems I was having accessing my site after my hosting company upgraded its system, had no sense of humor.
He helped me with my problem, yes, in a calm and efficient manner, and suggested I do several things in order to test something or whatnot or whozit or blahblahblahblahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Well, after we tried some sort of "ping" thing, which Ben described to me was another way to "see" my site, I decided to see if I could actually PHYSICALLY see it. And lo and, yes, also, behold, I could. And do.
But he had no sense of humor about it. When I realized that I could see the actual site, I asked him if the "ping" did something, and asked, further, "Is it magic or what?" Ben still didn't join in my unsuppressed glee.
I am "firstname" in the following exchange:
firstname: I am viewing it as we "speak".
Ben: They probably just finished updating right now as we spoke.
firstname: Oh, they are playing a cruel joke. Well, thank you for your help anyway.
Ben: They probably didn't know.
I wanted Ben to smile or something. Give me an exclamation point. Play. Congratulate me. Tell me that it wasn't a cruel joke and to go out and celebrate by juggling three fiery bowling pins in Union Square. But he didn't.
Boring. Boring boring Ben.
I hate when people don't play along. Bah.
fresh-baked at 11:28 AMOh I'm with you there. I'm always trying to get a chuckle out of strangers in situations like that - hell, life is too short! Let's play a bit! But most of the time, I'm met with the proverbial dead fish. Shame, isn't it?
Offered by: Nancy on September 17, 2002 11:35 AMAre you sure his boss wasn't standing over his shoulder as he typed. It's amazing the effect that has.
Offered by: Phil on September 17, 2002 11:43 AMBleh. Even if his boss were there, he could've snuck a little celebratory exclamation point in there somehow.
!
Like Nancy, I always try to "play". People can be such automatons. Thank-you-please-change-my-battery-thank-you. Feh.
Offered by: Jodi on September 17, 2002 12:02 PMWhy not just be real nice to them. It'll surprise the heck out of them, I promise (use their first name too... makes 'em feel good).
Offered by: Phil on September 17, 2002 12:07 PMI don't get it. Is this supposed to be funny or something?
Offered by: ben on September 17, 2002 12:08 PMI know Ben. He is an asshole.
Offered by: Daniel on September 17, 2002 12:11 PMPhil, I'm always nice to them and always use first names, even when "chatting" online.
Offered by: Jodi on September 17, 2002 12:19 PMMaybe he was wearing a neckbrace. Or, had just finished burying his pet canary in the back yard. Or perhaps the exclamation point key on his keyboard was jammed as a result of him pouring a can of warm ginger beer over it at lunch time (because that's the kind of crazy toga-wearing guy he really is).
Aw, who am I kidding? Ben sucks.
Offered by: Hot Soup Girl on September 17, 2002 12:23 PMThe whole explanation is that he's in that group of people that cannot fit into what is happening in human relationships. He's still in the past.
That's why they call him Be[e]n.
Offered by: Don on September 17, 2002 12:44 PMI'm procrastinating. Someone tell me to go study for my Social Psych test that I have in 8 hours.
Offered by: JenBen on September 17, 2002 12:44 PMBen is very nice. I wrote and recorded a song about him in 1973.
Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me
Ben, you're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
I used to say
I and me
Now it's us
Now it's we
I used to say
I and me
Now it's us
Now it's we
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
Like Ben
Like Ben
heh, my boyfriend ordered "moose tracks" ice cream a couple weeks ago. he asked the gal behind the counter if there was any moose in it. she says seriously, "um, i don't know!"
sometimes people just don't get it.
Offered by: leah on September 17, 2002 12:57 PM...now that's funny.
Offered by: ben on September 17, 2002 02:02 PMYou mean there are no chunks of babies in my "Cannibal's DeLite Premium Ice Milk with real Chewy Infant Clusters"?
I KNEW they were just raisins... feh...
Offered by: Thomas on September 17, 2002 03:51 PMActually, this reminds me of a story from when a friend of mine was working at an ice cream shop.
Customer: What kind of nuts are in the Pistachio ice Cream?
Friend of mine: Uhm...I'm pretty sure they're pistachios.
Customer: (rudely) Well, if you're not positive, could you check?
Ben: This one's not as funny as the other one.
Customer: Who are you?
Ben: I'm Ben.
Customer: Okay Ben, what are you talking about?
Ben: Oh. Okay, you see...about ten years from now, I'm going to be working for an ISP...
Customer: What's an "ISP?"
Ben: Internet Service Provider. Don't ask. Something Al Gore is in the process of inventing right now. Anyway, I'm going to be the topic of someone's post in a journal...
Customer: Because you're a humorless bastard.
Ben: Exactly. And someone's going to bring this situation up as a funny anecdote.
Customer: Who?
Ben: That guy's friend. (Points at my friend)
Friend of mine: Me?
Ben: Not you, your friend Aaron.
Friend of mine: He's not funny at all.
Ben: No. No, he's not. And he probably should have quit while he was ahead.
Friend of mine: I can't picture Aaron ever getting a "head!"
All: HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Ben: Now THAT'S funny!!!
Ben's hilarious. So deadpan. I like deadpan humour.
That's classic humour. I am so impressed. He's my new hero. I'm going to try to be just like him.
Really deadpan, like. Telling jokes and stuff without smiling.
That ROCKS!
Offered by: Pete on September 17, 2002 05:37 PMJodi! Thank you! for that! hilarious!!! exchange! Now, if only!! I could!! find something! to get excited about!!!
Offered by: Joan on September 17, 2002 06:23 PMtypical help desk jockey - I never had much to smile about when I worked on a help desk. pity him.
Offered by: Ted on September 17, 2002 11:06 PM
