title

Ask any TV science fiction watcher what happens when lightning hits a computer and you will probably be informed that there is a fireworks display blasting forth from computer screens and usually one fried technician.

In real life sitting at the AAA Call Center at 3:41 my shift last Friday turned ugly real fast. I was assigned that day to what's known as the Springfield side. That meant that Clark county was mine to break promised estimated time of arrivals and still service the members with a can do spirit. My real fears were based on managing our six AAA fleet drivers that are rented from Sandys Towing and work exclusiviely for us. That means the police can't take them away from me for accident or impound calls. I have a bit of a time keeping track of them--what part of town are they going to-where will they drop and the most important item of all--making sure they get off on time. Sandys won't pay overtime on them.

This problem became moot when a lightning bolt hit our electrical pole out in the parking lot at 3:41 pm. Our dispatch and call taking computers crashed. Our phones -- two out of the three were knocked out of commission and worse our $10,000 radio console was fried. The pole looks like a stake where Joan of Arc spent some quality time.

The strike occured without smoke, fire or electrical impulses tickling the epidermis. So much havoc in my future with so little ostentation and fanfare.

My partner Bob was monitoring the main console that night (green side) and Tonya had Greene county and bits of Montgomery (red side). My side is blue. Green side has two large stations that have their own remote computer hookups so THEY actually do their own dispatching and we monitor between browsing the internet looking for games sites management hasn't blocked off yet. Still annoyed my Mahjong Solitaire from classbrains.com was removed. They take IMDB the movie/TV site and I'll be a bit more disgruntled to say the least. Basically the Green side dispatcher has traditionally the most calls on their board but the least amount of real dispatching to do. A cake walk.

With the power down we go to hand written calls and lots of telephone time. Stations could not contact us on the dispatch line. A suggestion to let them call in on the call taking line was shot down without mercy or the offer of a blindfold. I really suggested that to annoy supervisor Jeannie. Most but not all members could still reach us that way.

Bob does not handle these situations well. For the record I like him. A lot. We are kindred souls as ex-military men and he's a medically retired police officer. His Army/police careers have conditioned him to expect things to be run v-e-r-y- efficiently not the often seats of the pants what mood am I in today method of punishing ethically challenged AAA members caught in their webs of deceit. He went into crank mode.

Stayed there too. Took long drawn out smoke breaks. This after we got our system going. Calltakers would bring a call in and since I was closest to the door got most of them. A decision on whose area it was was rapidly rendered and most the time it was Bob's. Good news there they could still be faxed to a station so it wasn't THAT bad. Or so I thought until Saturday.

As the evening went on I had a measly three or four calls to think about as Springfield was quiet for a change. They are a feast or famine city. Bob had a bunch.

He kept muttering about job opportunites elsewhere. Around 7 pm or so he abruptly got up, asked Jeannie how much comp time he had saved up and left me and Tonya at 9 pm without a hint of regret at the mess we were dealing with. I felt somehow betrayed and for once very disappointed in a man I truly respect and enjoy working with. I really thought he could rise above it. He has an excellent manner with the drivers and rapport with people and I have seen him work miracles making bricks without straw of sticky situations. But he's been getting tired lately. Since his daughter-in-law passed away and his son and grand-daughter (who he worships and I confess she is a treasure) moved in he's been under a great deal of personal pressure on the home front. More then me with all my whining.

The computers are not back up at 11 when I leave. Had they come up I would have stayed and taken all the handwriiten sanscript and try to translate them into paying invoices. Tonya said she would be in Saturday (a day off for her to do them if necessary).

Saturday would be a day of disappointment.

I arrive at 2 pm to find the phones and computers back up. Partner Claire came in for four hours (12-4 pm) and was working Tonya's tickets from last night. John was doing mine and both were done fairly quickly. Brandy was working on Bob's and said I just had a few to go if I didn't mind.

If any one asks a few equals 59. Tonya was a no show.

With dispatching and no help from my co-workers AT ALL it took me just under four hours to crank them out. Bob arrived at 4 pm. I made a smiling remark that I thought we did well last night to which he firmly disagreed and settled down in his chair and stayed borderline grouchy until about 8 pm when he started to thaw out. He too made no attempt to help me and I refused to ask anyone. The Pharisee in me took great pride in doing 'my' work. Monday Tonya told me it was probably a very smart thing I did not ask Bob for help on his calls.

Bob went so far Saturday as to tell me he thinks next Friday will be his last day. That would be the end of the pay period. I attempt to put a sincere ring to my tone expressing dismay at the lack of a proper two week notice and get rebuffed.

At this time early Thursday morning still not sure what he will do. If he's smart he'll hold out until December when his house is paid off. But he does hate it at our place though he is very fond of Tonya and I think he enjoys me to a great extent. Not that we socialize off duty. Brandy and I once in awhile and Sam from first shift but it has been a long time with her.

Anyhow out of the seven day shift just ended five of them were busy and horrendous. At 10:40 pm Tuesday night a ETA went sour and I heard Jeannie mentioning about being lied to. I took this personally and hung up on Rudi the calltaker who was whining to me aboiut said eta. Immature you bet but I politely told her I was hanging up on her before doing so so I could carve out a night supervisor's heart. The argument lasted five intense minutes with me pouting and doing my patented offended peacock imitation to no one's amusment until I settled down and made amends to Rudi (and Jeannie) who assured me the remark was for the station and not me the misinformed messenger). I went back to contemplating the Bible verse about only by pride comes contention.

Wednesday was peaceful and stress free.

Almost forgot -- Father's day was a disaster. Three guttersnipes--three no shows on the caller ID. Dan was in the field on Air National Guard duty but still----. Jim was in the hospital keeping an eye on his daughter and Sandy--still don't know. She just sort of giggled when I whined on Monday at her. Sigh. I miss Mary Sue big time. She would have called.

On the other hand Logos keeps missing Valentine's Day so what do I know?