A lesson in physics.

I was at work Thursday night listening to the howling wind blow various debris up against the windows. It had me thinking that a power outage would really damper this evening.

1:30 am rolls around and sure enough the power goes out. The emergency lights came on, but all access to computers and various other equipment was nill. Then the phone rang.

Guy: Hello this is ____ from facilities. I understand the power is out there.
Me: Yes this is true.
Guy: Well next time this happens you need to call me and inform me of this.
Me: Okay. I thought security took care of that, but I'll call you. By the way I have no idea how to get a hold of you.
Guy: My number is online.
Me: That doesn't help me.
Guy: You can just simply look it up online.
Me: How?
Guy: Look you're the TECH GUY. I'll make it very simple for you. You open up Internet Explorer...
Me: ....look pal. I don't mean to be a condescending prick. I'm not an asshole, but I have to inform you of the fact that computers, well they run on POWER.
Guy: ..............
Me: (listening to the wheels in his head spin)
Guy: ....well you don't have a laptop?
Me: No.
Guy: Well call me if you need anything. (click)

He never gave me his phone number.

In the morning people started trickling in talking about the chaos that this windstorm has brought upon us. I walked into the kitchen to get some water and saw a man standing at the Batista machine pressing the button over and over again. I just stared at him for a while till finally I spoke up.

Me: You didn't expect that to work now did you?
Him: I wish Starbucks could invent something that didn't need this thing called electricity.

He then laughed and walked away. I laughed to, not with him of course.

It's incredible how a power outage turns reasonably intelligent human beings into blithering idiots.

"Starbucks is my main fix and it's usually you people working in there - sometimes they're actually shaking. It just makes me feel horrendous because I've been in that situation." - Shirley Manson