Computer Trouble

Peggy kept pecking at keys, but nothing appeared on her screen.

“The computer is broken!” She finally declared as if defeated in battle.

“Are you sure? It’s pretty new.” I sat in the cubicle next to her and was the constant recipient of all her complaints.

“For pity sake, George, I’ve been trying to get a page done for hours. I hit a key. Nothing! I reboot the computer. Nothing!”

I could hear her pounding the keys, her loud sighs.

I rolled my chair to her cube. “Tell you what, why don’t you take a break. Go outside, take a walk around. Smell the fresh air, listen to the birds. I’ll take a look at this computer.”

“Really? Oh thanks.” And off she flew.

About an hour later Peggy came flying back to her cube nest. I was still at work.

“You really broke it, Peg. I can’t get it to work either.”

“I think I know the problem.” Out of her pocket came a small flash drive.

“Are you kidding? I’ve been goofing around here for an hour, and all I needed was that bloody thumb drive?”

Her guilty grin came with an apology. “Yeah, well sorry. I forgot Henry gave me this yesterday. It’s the key to the project.”

“Huh. Good thing you remembered before we trashed your machine.”

“Oh, I didn’t remember. A little birdie told me.” She settled into her seat, inserted the drive then happily started working, with a little whistle.

“Right. Okay, I’ve got to do my own work. Good luck.”

The rest of the day I heard that birdie sing, little whistles from the other side of the cubicle.

At quitting time I rolled over to check on Peggy, but she’d already left. Lying on her chair was a feather. Curious.


W/C 298