I try and not make assumptions, but sometimes I can't help myself. A good example is when I came here to Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico for a two-week vacation on the 17th of this month. I brought my computer with me - something I always do.
I don't bring it along to work, I bring it primarily because I'm obsessed with this blog - something I've been writing since at least 2010. I post a new one every third day. One day a blog, then two days off. For years - until 2016 - I wrote one every day. But finally I cut back, because I seemed to be running out of ideas.
Anyway, before I wander too far off into the weeds, let's get back to assumptions. When I took it out of my luggage, I discovered the screen was broken. It was covered with a spiderweb of tiny cracks I didn't cry, but I was so angry I had a strong urge to throw it off the balcony of the condo we're leasing - a good 50 feet drop.
And I was upset because I positively knew it would take a couple of weeks to get it repaired under the best of circumstances, especially in a foreign country. However, my lovely companion, adding fuel to the fire, suggested I take it to a computer repair shop. Or buy another one at Walmart or OfficeMax. However,I explained to her that Spanish keyboards are different than English keyboards because the Spanish alphabet has 27 letters, while English has 26; but the difference affects how the keyboard is laid out. So buying one wouldn't help me.
Anyway, she felt so sorry for me that she called around and found a repair shop that showed up on Google maps. Assuming she would soon learn what I was telling her about computer repair was correct we set off to find the computer repair store. I mean there's a computer repair store near my office and it takes him a couple of weeks to get parts so what's the likelyhood of this shop in the ghetto in a foreign land going to be able to fix my screen.
Google made it's usual mistakes, but finally we got onto a street that Google said had a computer repair store on the next corner. Google was right. However, I've been to dope houses in Arizona that looked better than this computer store. It was probably 600 square feet and was stacked with computer parts from floor to ceiling, arranged in no particular order. It was a hoarder's paradise.
I deposited my trashed computer on the counter, which was about three feet from the front door.
"Can you fix this?" I asked in Spanish.
He examined it for a moment, then told me he could. I wouldn't have believed him except that he was 18 or 19 years old and everyone knows that kids who are into computers can do anything. I told him that the computer was about nine years old and he probably wouldn't have a screen for it. He said he did and went rummaging through different piles until he came back with a new one he said would fit that computer.
Within 45 minutes my Hewlett-Packard was good as new and he was $150 richer. And I'm producing this blog on it right now.
And for today, at least, I'm going to assume that I don't know as much as I think I do.
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