So here we are, my laptop and me, snug and warm in my office, just the two of us…
no, wait, who’s this? Why, it’s an external monitor!
Three weeks into the waiting game, I gave in and retrieved my computer. The wretched video cable (NOT the new one) is sitting in my backpack, doing its impression of electronic intestinal disease. The part number is still a mystery, but at least now I have the part in hand – my plan is to march into Future Shop and wave the video cable in people’s faces until someone over there finally figures out which is his ass, and which is his elbow.
In the meantime, the IT people at school have very kindly provided me with a reasonably good monitor, so at least I have an actual computer, right here in my office. My skulking days are over.
Perhaps you should take diagrams of an elbow and an ass, just in case. They’re not too bright at Future Shop, bless ’em. You’ll be pleased to know that it’s an international phenomenon – our equivalent to Future Shop is Curry’s or Comet. No one is ever around to help and when you do track someone down, you get someone who just won the job by mailing in cereal box tops that morning.