Gene: The Man

Computers are wonderful things.  In fact I do spend a lot of time fooling with the things.  Most of the time it is because something has gone wrong with it.  I will say this however.  The thing that just happened tops anything I have ever seen before.  I opened it up just like I always do.  And while it was booting all of a sudden a notice appeared on the screen saying that it was running a scan.  I didn’t think much about that.  I just thought that maybe that was normal.  But after a while a message came up saying that I had twenty-nine threats and it needed to be fixed RIGHT NOW.  So I punched the button that promised to fix it.  I never should have done that.  It then said that before it could be fixed I would have to register it, and then it took me to the screen where that could be done.  It first wanted me to send them sixty dollars. Now nobody has ever accused me of being overly smart but I did recognize this as a scam. 

So I immediately clicked on my security program expecting to get the thing out of my computer.  But lo and behold a message popped up saying that my security program was one of the threats.  Then I went from one program to another and (you are not going to believe this) I got the same message on every one of them.  Talking about a mess.  I knew that I had been had.  So I did what all smart people do.  I turned off the computer, cussed a lot, and went and told Linda she must have done something wrong.  That wasn’t too smart, either.  First of all she never touches a computer.  Second of all I already knew what the problem was and also knew that it was above what I could fix.  I was most worried about how much it was going to cost to get it fixed.  You see I am known for my frugality.  I’m just cheap!

So there I sat!  I couldn’t get my email.  I couldn’t get on the Internet.  I couldn’t pay my bills because I do that online.  (Maybe that wasn’t so bad)  I couldn’t find out what my granddaughter was doing on Facebook.  I couldn’t even play freecell. What do people do when they don’t have a computer? 

All this brings me to the best act of kindness since Bob.   I was talking to Jim and he said that I should talk to Gene.  He said that Gene knew everything there was to know about computers.  Beside that, Jim said that he had just had the same thing happen on his computer and Gene fixed it.  That was all I needed to hear.  So I talked to Gene. It was obvious that he knew all about what was wrong so I asked him to fix mine.  And he did.  He explained how that sort of thing just comes up without warning.  Nobody knows where it comes from and what happens to the sixty dollars after you pay it because your computer is still left in that unheard of state after you pay.  And there is no way to trace where the payment went.  I think it goes to the Federal Government but I can’t be sure. 

But Gene is a genius.  He took my computer home and ridded it of that scam.  He had to go all the way into the registry and whip it clean. And that is not an easy thing to do.  He gave me a list of things that I still had to do but it was all normal stuff.  And now it works fine.  Until it happens again. 

So as you are sitting there reading this the little guy that lurks in your computer may be getting it ready to put you into orbit. Too bad I promised Gene that I would never reveal his real name to anybody. 

But you will have to agree:  Gene is a true friend and there is a special place in Heaven for him.

Love ya!

The Sad Notes

You may never have heard of the Sadnotes.  That is because we are really the Gladnotes.  Never heard of them, either?  Well, it is a fine singing group made up of elderly singers who enjoy singing to even more elderly people.  We go to nursing homes or retirement centers or other such places where most of the people there are ones who are alone in the world.  Nobody much touches them.  Or gives them a hug or kiss.  Or tells them they are loved.  Most are homeless and ill.  Some just sit and stare at nothing in particular, seemingly just waiting to die. 

So once a week we gather and put on our show.  It is all worth it when we see one trying to sing along or smile a bit.  When we are through singing we usually try to go to every one and hold their hands or give them a hug.  We try to laugh with them if they will let us.  Then we leave giving thanks for the wonderful life we are still able to enjoy while wishing there were more we could do to give them even a little bit of joy.

It is difficult to tell just how much I enjoy singing with this group.  There are not many soloists in the group but we all make a joyful noise.  So now let me share with you one very special time with the Sadnotes:

We had just finished our routine and were about to greet all we could.  I had watched an elderly woman while we sang.  She sat still with her head sort of bowed.  Her lips were moving and I thought I could see her singing along with us.  I watched as she tapped her fingers on her armchair as if she were playing a piano along with us.  At the end of each song she would slightly look up and I thought I could see tears running down her cheeks.  When we were done singing I went to her and reached for her hand.  She looked at me with the smile of an angel.  I asked her if she would mind standing up.  She wanted to know why so I told her I wanted a hug.  She stood no, hopped up and threw her arms around me sort of like a mother hugs a loving son.  And we stayed like that for a long time.  After several minutes we parted and I stepped back just in time to see a beautiful set of eyes glowing while tears were running down her cheeks. 

“Young man,” she said. (I am almost eighty years old.)  “I cannot remember the last time anyone hugged me.  As a matter of fact nobody ever even touches me anymore.  And you hugged me as if you really wanted to.  You showed me love and heaven knows people my age need that.  Thank you for caring.”

I kissed her on the cheek and told her I loved her.  I told her that we were both God’s children so we were sort of brother and sister.

I hope as you read this you do not think I am trying to toot my own horn trying to make you think I am some kind of special person.  I am not. 

But the people we sing to are!

It has been a while since I told you that I love you but I still do.  Come back soon.  We will be joyful together.