Robbing Peter To Connect Paul

(While working for a customer service department, I get this call.)

Caller: “How do I hook up my cable box to the VCR, and the VCR to the TV?”

(I walk her through the process, TV out from the back of the cable box, to TV in on the VCR, TV out on the VCR, to antenna in on the television.)

Caller: “No, not getting anything.”

(I explain it to her again.)

Caller: “Still nothing.”

(I walk her through the process: “A” to “B”, “C” to “D”. I do this for the next half hour with no result. Finally, I give up.)

Me: “Ma’am, how many cables do you have?”

Caller: “One.”

Me: “So, when I ask you to attach the cable to each point, where do you get the cable from?”

Caller: “Oh, I just disconnect it from the previous spot!”