Our Phone Problems

So, (I think I start a lot of my posts with the word "so"...), many of you might have read in my "weekend" post that we were having problems with our internet. Well...I'll tell you the reason why. And I'll do so with all the candor I can muster up but really I have a deadpan look on my face because it really is so ridiculous. But I guess it's just the German way of doing things.

Basically, when we went into order our TV/DSL/Phone service for the new house (mind you...it was a couple of weeks beforehand), they told us it would be turned on "in four weeks".

We said, "For what?" They said, "Just cause." We asked again, "For what?" They said, "That's the way it is, sir." We asked two more times, only to receive the same answer.

We decided to rephrase the question.

We said, "To What? Flip the switch? That seems like it could be really easy. Why should it take that long?" They said, "Well, sir, since you haven't moved into the house yet, the mailbox doesn't have your name written on the label. We need to send you some paperwork that you'll need to return to us. And the Deutsch Post won't deliver it without your name on the mailbox. So, you have to be in your house before we can send the papers for you to return to us."

We said, "Can't you just give us the paperwork now for us to sign?" They said (after a big, long, irritated sigh from this 'stupid American man'), "No, we have to make sure you actually live at that address. When they send you the paperwork, and the post man sees your name on the label, then that means you've received the paperwork. Then once you send it back to us, and we receive it, that's how we know you're there."

(Know that by this point, Brian and I are not seeing the logic and this and while it's funny now, seemed totally ridiculous at the time.)

It was, at that point, that I turned to him and blurted out, "Can't we just write the name on the paper label and affix it to the mailbox?" They said....nothing. Deadpan stare. So we walked out. I need to keep my mouth shut sometimes. But I was totally serious. It seems the whole service lay in the dang white half-cent paper label sticking to the mailbox. hahaha.

So, I'm sure you're wondering how I'm doing posts on my blog. Well, they gave us this little USB stick that is giving us some internet, but it's not that fast. So, it's still a bit frustrating trying to use our internet phone. It breaks up a lot. But at least I have internet, right?

I am reminded, then, of a skit by my favorite comedian, Brian Regan, regarding a similar occurrence happening to him. The first video is quite long. Just watch at least the first two minutes of it.

So, now we wait. We wait til November 21, when the guy can "flip the switch". And I have to take back my previous comment about it being a German way because it's really no different than the cable company in America telling us they're going to come "between 8 and 5 next Friday".

If you have time to watch a few Youtube videos of this guy you will be laughing hilariously. I love that he keeps it "clean" while still being super hilarious. Thanks Nicole and Sheldon for introducing him to us. Here are two more of my favorite videos of his. The first two minutes of this one is my favorite part but I couldn't find the "bit" within a video of its own.