I've been neglecting all of you recently. Hoping there is still someone out there that enjoys a running pastor's stream of consciousness ramblings.
Tuesday, I brought our multi-media laptop into my office. It is only 6 months old, and the CD/DVD drive had entirely died several weeks before. I finally had a window of time where I could take it back, and plead for speedy repair or replacement. ("Plead" because it was the only piece of equipment for which I could not find the receipt - ugh)
To ensure that I would not look like a complete idiot, I turned it on before taking it in, just to make sure that it still was not working. Popped in a CD - and was a little taken aback to hear it start playing. Took out the CD - slid in a DVD - it whirred happily, and started the movie. Turns out it works fine now. For how long, no one knows, but I'm not pleading anyone to repair a laptop that is working, especially when I don't have the receipt.
So I put it back. Plugged it in. Went back to my office.
Thursday, around 6 PM, I got a call from the youth group - "Where's the laptop?"
Silly, lovable youth. "It's right there, in front of you, where it always is."
"No, it isn't."
"Are you sure?"
I swear I could hear their eyes rolling over the phone - "Um, yes."
Sigh. So much for a quiet evening at home. A few minutes later, I arrived, apologetically checking the same place they had already checked. Turns out they're right - it's not there - and it's not anywhere. It has walked.
Crap.
Called the police.
Questioned leaders.
Eventually came to the conclusion that it walked away under the watchful, protective gaze of ... me. During office hours.
Because, as you may remember from a Seinfeld episode that I cannot find on YouTube, all the security systems and state-of-the-art locks in the world, have only one flaw - YOU MUST LOCK THE DOOR!!!
I had a flashback to that same episode, as I filed a police report over the phone. The very kind, very friendly officer said to me, "Here's my email address - let me know if you have any more details - we'll let you know if something turns up."
I really, really wanted to say - "Does anything ever turn up?" Just to hear the instant, matter-of-fact - "Nah."
So - we've replaced it - I'm reloading it - and if all goes well, Sunday will go off without a hitch.
And I'm taking a tiny bit of comfort in the thought that the next time the wonky CD/DVD drive in that first laptop stops working - it's not my problem!
