Computer woes, First Christian

My computer has been in the shop for a week. Twice, I complained about the slow service and was told by different techs that I could go to the front of the line for $100. When I finally picked my computer up yesterday, I raised hell about this to the manager, telling her that she has taken the sort of unscrupulous act that rogue employees have always been guilty of and elevated it to company policy. She admitted that it’s a shameful practice, but then contradicted herself by saying it’s only for businesses that can’t do without a computer. I told her that of the two employees who enthusiastically offered to bump me to the front of the line, neither asked if I owned a business. Eager to get me off her back, and not knowing that I had just gotten my computer, she offered to service it immediately at no extra charge. A hundred dollars is a hundred dollars, I suppose, and hers is the only Mac store in town. She’s well known for her role in the Catholic Church, but I refrained from asking if her lack of integrity conflicts with her religiosity.

I attended First Christian this week and enjoyed it very much. The building is old, large, and corridorous, so I didn’t find the Sunday School class I was looking for, but wandered instead into a group of twenty that offered hot coffee and a discussion about the four versions of God found in the Pentateuch. No conservative church would sponsor such a class.

I debated leaving before the service, but was glad I stayed. The sermon was about inclusiveness, and just as the minister was saying that the church is obligated to welcome everyone, no matter how they are dressed, two women walked in, one in an open vest with no blouse and the other in chaps with no pants. They sat down quietly, but the remainder of the homily was pretty much lost on the congregation. The preacher later said that, despite rumors to the contrary, he doesn’t pay people to illustrate his sermons.

I took communion, stayed for coffee and dessert, and was even invited out to eat by a group that dines together every Sunday. If I had not been feeling overly socialized and overly full of cake, I would have gone. For all of my life prior to Zoloft, even the social expenditure that I had already made would have been a strain, yet I haven’t taken Zoloft in years. Perhaps, I stayed on it long enough that the me on Zoloft simply became the me off Zoloft.

4 comments:

Me said...

Those are some pretty shady business practices. I would report them to the Better Business Bureau if I were you.

Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly. I find the documentary hypothesis (I'm assuming that's what they were discussing) and Biblical scholarship in general to be most interesting. I would say you were lucky to have stumbled into such a discussion!

Maya said...

Sounds like you may have found a community of like minded individuals. As to the computer thing, I would report them to BBB and take my business elsewhere.

Snowbrush said...

I will report them to the BBB, but thought I would write them up for Angie's List also. The problem with taking my business elsewhere is that they are the only Mac store in town other than the University of Oregon Bookstore, and I don't know if they service non-University computers, although I will find out next time I run into a problem.

Janet said...

That is hilarious. Laughter increases endorphins but you were probably only laughing on the inside. Maybe you had some kind of renewed strength knowing you didn't have cancer, even though it doesn't sound like you are signing a new lease on life.

How did you come across my page? I started it only because it seemed better than having a blank profile.

By the way, I noticed that you listed sleep apnea in you profile. My last sleep study said there was no apnea, or periodic limb movement. And previously I had both of those. It is possible for life to improve.