Ph.Duh

(Note: I’m doing tech support for a college professor.)

Me: “Can I have you look at the lights on the modem?”

Professor: “Yep, looking now.”

(There’s a lengthy pause while I wait for him to look. After he doesn’t say anything for awhile, I decide to ask.)

Me: “So, what are they doing?”

Professor: “Oh! Let me go look…”

(This goes on for another 15 minutes, where he doesn’t answer a single question I ask. I eventually manage to get him to plug a ethernet cable in, but it is still saying a cable is unplugged. He still will not not listen to me and goes on doing his own thing. Five minutes later…)

Me: “What port is the ethernet cable plugged into?”

Professor: “The only one it goes into.”

Me: “And what is the other end plugged into?”

Professor: “The computer…”

Me: “And the other end?”

Professor: “Well, it’s not plugged into anything.”

(I try to keep my calm, despite being exasperated.)

Me: “Can you plug that into the modem please?”

Professor: “Well, now it works. So what did we do?”

Me: “We plugged it in…”