Ignore my other note. I read from my 'replies' basket and didn't see this one before I responded.

Anyway, I remember that. Being a Marx Brothers fan myself, maybe there was some of that in the back of my mind when this happened. I'm not conscious that there was, but I guess everything gets stowed in there somewhere, and maybe it comes out through the subconscious. I have to say though, it was one of the dumbest phone conversations I've ever been a party to. Imagine phoning some stranger and your first words are, "Do you own a computer?".

>>>>I actually had a call like that. She'd left her monitor on the night before and someone had turned the brightness all the way down, thinking they were being helpful.
>>>>
>>>>While she was on the phone in panic, I could almost hear her reach out and turn that knob. "Never mind." (click)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I always hear that one starting out about the woman who's monitor won't work and it's because there is a power outage.
>>>>>
>>>>>>"See the big red switch on the case? Make sure it's in the "0" or down position. Unplug everything, box it up, and send it back. You shouldn't have a computer"
>>>
>>>On a slightly different vein, I remember a number of years ago back when you were required to get at least basic cable in order to get internet cable, I got a phone call one day from a telemarketer. This is as close to the actual conversation as I can recall.
>>>
>>>

Ring...
>>>Me: Hello?
>>>Him: Hello. Do you own a computer?
>>>Me: Why, yes, I do. I also have a lovely top of the line stereo system and a state of the art
>>>    TV. I also have some very nice and expensive jewellery that I keep in a wall safe in the
>>>    bedroom. It's behind a mountain landscape painting. Not the one over the bed; the one
>>>    opposite the window. Why do you ask?
>>>Him: Ah, sorry. I'm calling from Rogers cable. I wonder if you've thought about a high speed
>>>     internet connection.
>>>Me: Don't I have to have basic cable before I can have internet cable?
>>>Him: Yes.
>>>Me: I don't have cable and I don't really want it.
>>>Him: It's only $15.00 a month.
>>>Me: It's not that. I just don't want it.
>>>Him: Well, for only $10.00 a month instead, you can have it blocked.
>>>Me: Hmmm... Ok, let me get this straight. I can have basic cable for $15.00, or I can NOT
>>>    have it for $10.00 a month?
>>>Him: Yes, that's right.
>>>Me: Well, I haven't had cable now for about 10 years. So how much do I owe you?
>>>Him: What?
>>>Me: Well, if not having cable costs $10.00 a month, I must owe a lot of money.
>>>Him: Oh, yeah.
>>>Me: Ok, then how about this. Suppose I choose to not have premium stations instead of just not
>>>    having basic. How much would that cost me instead?
>>>Him: < Long pause >
>>>Me: Ok, no, sorry. I'm not interested.
>>>Him: < Hangs up >
>>>

>
>
>The Marx Brothers had a bit similar to that, in which they are a band and Groucho is the manager ---
>
>Man: How much does the band cost?
>Groucho: $10 an hour to play, $12 an hour to not play. And $15 an hour for rehearsing.
>Man: What about not rehearsing?
>Groucho: Forget it. If we don't rehearse, we can't play, and that runs into real money.