Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Do they make flu shots for laptops?

Geoff diligently typed his office memo. Today was the day he announced the new fire escape plans.

As he was finalizing his spell check, he heard someone in a nearby cubicle sneeze.

"Bless you," Geoff responded. Then he heard the darty, little error sound his computer often made. A new pop up message appeared.

"Thank you," it read. The window title bar displayed "Bless You Received." Then there was a close window button.

Geoff wheeled his chair back about a foot and looked around him. This was a joke, right? He couldn't remember angering the IT staff.

Geoff closed the window and continued with the spell check. He sent his document to the printer for one last proofing (because it's easier to edit on paper). And as he hit the proper keys, he heard another sneeze. The images on his computer screen warped for the corresponding second.

"Uh, bless you?" he hesitantly replied.

He then jumped out of his seat and hightailed it to the printer. There he retrieved his document along with an extra sheet of paper.

"Thanks! :)" was centered on this sheet.

Geoff walked to a nearby cube and asked the inhabitant if the sheet of paper was hers. "Not mine," was the reply.

So Geoff slowly approached his tiny office. He slowly sat down. And he slowly reached for his mouse.

Which was covered in slime.

In fact, there was a slimy substance all underneath his computer. It looked like - no, it couldn't be - mucous?

A powerful achoo issued from the laptops tiny speakers as a wad of yellowy goo shot from the keyboard and landed square in the middle of Geoff's forehead.

Astounded and horrified, he whispered to the machine, "Are you okay?"

A new word processor document opened and from the curser emerged: I have a virus.

"Is it contagious?" Geoff wanted to know.

The ghostly letters appeared: Only to other computers. I advise you not send that memo today. Not before taking me to the doctor.

So Geoff complied. He immediately took his oozing laptop to IT where thirteen other people were waiting with the same problem.

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