I want my passive entertainment!

It's been close to one week without television, and tensions are running high...

Last week (right before long Easter weekend! Sheesh!) on thursday-morning it happened. I was brushing my teeth and watched the news to TV (have to be prepared for yet another workday). Suddenly I hear this loud "click" from the television and the screen goes blank. Uh oh.... Then the power-indicator starts to flash. Oooops. I run to the TV and turn in on from the master-switch. It turns off. I then try to turn it back on. And it does. But there's no picture nor sound. And the power-light just flashes.

I grab the manual and see the list of problems I could have with the television.... A-ha, success! "Problem: There is no picture or sound. The power-indicator is flashing". yep, that's what I have. "To fix the problem:" Yes, give it to me baby! "...Contact Sony customer-service". Nooooooooooo! It's thursday-morning right before Easter. There's no way they could fix the problem on the same day, so I'm looking at long weekend with no television. And on thursdays they show "Lost"! Dammit! On friday they show "Battlestar Galactica"! Crap! On saturday we have "William and Mary" (favourite of the Mrs.)! Now the shit really hits the fan... The only good thing here is that the TV is still under warranty. I bought it in 2002, but I got extended 5-year warranty for it for free.

So I call Sony later that day... And this man with lower-than-average customer-service attitude takes my call. After describing the problem he asks me "could you take the television to service by yourself?" Yeah, sure. It's a huge 32-inch tube that weights maybe 60 kilos, and it has no handles that could be used to carry it. I'll get right on it sir! NOT. So then I'm told "Well, our guy will come by your place on tuesday to pick it up". I ask about the specific time, since I obviously have to be there when he picks up the TV, and it takes me about 1 hour to get from the workplace back home. "Well, he will call you and you can talk about it between you two". Thanks for nothing. Why do I get the feeling that he will call me and say "I'll be at your place in 20 minutes to pick up the TV"?

On tuesday I wait for the call, ready to leave the work at moments notice. No call. At 14.00 I call Sony again. "Well, you see the guy who was supposed to pick up your TV injured his hand during the weekend. He'll be back at work at wednesday". What was he doing? Masturbating furiously all through the easter untill his hand broke down? When I ask that will the TV be repaired before weekend, I get another non-reply: "well, you see the guy who actually fixes the televisions is coming back from his vacation on wednesday as well, and he'll start fixing televisions right away. He might have some backlog though". Thanks, I feel so much better already. Does Sony REALLY have just one employee who picks up faulty equipment, and one employee who fixes it? Come on Sony!

So I will most certainly lose two "Lost" episodes in a row. And I might also lose two "Galactica"-episodes as well (if I'm really lucky I might get the TV before weekend).

If this keeps up, I might end up being like this guy.

Yeah, it's a Sony-television, and Sony is evil. But back when I bought it, they weren't quite as evil as they are today.

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