VB III - Taking Control - Chapter 4 - The Attempt
She initially paniced and tore into the next package.
But what it contained soothed her somewhat, as it helped her see the rediculous situation she had got herself in, and that calm thought, logic and reason, not blind panic, was more likely to find the sensible solution.
The package was of little or no use whatsover, in that it was a survival kit from that amazing, green and gold London store. Most was totally inappropriate and expensive food, but the Swiss Army knife might prove useful, if she had to cut the belt off. She extracted the saw and thought about committing a serious crime! Her self-control put it back. At least for the next few hours!
There was also a small computer-oriented tool-kit and the inevitable message.
This one was much longer and she felt she had better read it carefully!
|
Dear MissVB I would estimate you are now in one of two physical conditions. I would suspect that you have not read all the instructions. (Women rarely do, which is why they are such good product testers!) But if you have complied with everything, make a coffee and perhaps enjoy some of the biscuits! And then open the next package and install the hardware and software at your leisure. If you have put on the bracelet and the belt and are worrying how to get them off, then you must not worry! And if all else fails there is a little saw in the Swiss Army knife. But I won't send you another belt. Or at least not one like that! Now open the next package and install it on your computer. You will need the computer tool-kit, as you will have to remove your computer's case! A tip! In the package is a disc marked 'Pre-Install'. Connect to the Internet and run this disc in your floppy drive. It should help! Mr TC |
The last statement would have been helpful, if she had known what the E-Mail address was!
She reviewed her state.
It did not seem hopeful, in that she was wearing a training corset, which was now locked on by means of an expensive Paris-designed belt, containing some sort of computer-controlled device. And she had to install the hardware and software to perform the unlocking. Not something at which she knew she was particularly good! In fact she had never installed any hardware inside a computer! Other worries included the facts that she could not remove the shoes, which were hurting her feet and legs rather badly, and the amount of coffee she had drunk.
But at least, she had been assured she was not to worry. But then he wasn't locked in! And he understood about hardware and software!
***
Her computer installation was like many others across the world.
The small base unit was placed under the desk on the floor, with just a monitor, a keyboard and the mouse on top. An ideal layout if you were dressed normally and wanted to work efficiently, but not one if you couldn't bend at the hips or waist. The only thing to do, was to kneel on the hard floor, but this made her slightly too low! But a seat cushion from the sofa, improved not only the working height, but the comfort of her knees as well! She would also have a great deal of trouble taking the base unit apart, as it was buried deep under the desk!
She managed to connect and run the 'Pre-Install' software without any difficulty. It asked all sorts of sensible questions, like her identity and what type of computer she was using. It all seemed to be going very well and she was finally back to the normal calm and cool state, she prided she kept during difficult situations.
The software finished by assuring her that an installation could be successfully performed and by printing out specific instructions for her computer; a two-year-old, top-of-the-range Dell! The detailed instructions even told her, the position of every screw she would have to remove. Butterflys and all sorts of creatures jumped in her stomach, at that thought, as she'd never taken a machine apart. Or even seen it done! So perhaps, today was an interesting day on which to learn!
***
An hour later and as the clock beat out a single chime for one o'clock, she had to admit that she was beaten.
Her computer was now naked on the floor. The case and all cables had been removed and all she could see was a mass of chips, wires and other components, all covered in a thick layer of dirt. She was at a total loss, as to where to add the control board, that she held in her hand. The detailed instructions could have been all Greek to her!
But at least she had written down everything she had done to take the computer apart and in just five minutes, she had recconnected to the Internet. As she was deciding where to search for his E-Mail address on the CTC Web Site, her computer beeped to indicate that she had received a message. She breathed a large sigh of relief, when she saw it was from the man, who had got her into all this trouble.
|
How are you doing? The 'Pre-Install' informed me, you were trying to connect and you should have linked up by now. But we've not seen you yet! So I pressed the panic button and an engineer will be with you very shortly. Hope that was OK? |
She returned a message to say what she had done, how he must think her a complete fool and that she would be grateful for any help.
His reply was immediate.
|
Don't worry about bothering us? We are moving more and more into areas, such as the 'Diabetes Project', where our clients are not particularly computer literate! All of your troubles and problems will help others. |
Just as she was about to reply, the door-bell rang.
Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins