The evil black and white box.

I knew it was trouble when my cable company announced they were sending a new and improved decoder. No extra charge.

I’m not a technophone. I use the computer hours on end every day, but “New improved” usually means that they’ve taken what works wonderfully and mess it up.

Take the new Microsoft office suite. What used to take one click to do can take anywhere from 3-5 at best.

Then my web server upgraded which meant at least 5-10 clicks to do what I used to do in one. I will give them two improvements hidden in the many inconveniences.

The new black and white box arrived within 24 hours. I read the manual. Manuals in English are often as incomprehensible to me as those in French.

On the street I got down on my knees and begged Pierre to come help, which he did. He attached everything like the manual said. The screen read patientez to connect. Three hours later of patience and no connection.

I don’t want to bother Pierre again. I called the television technician. He can come Jan. 4. I was able to reconnect the old decoder box.

I would take a photo of the box, but I suspect like some evil spirit it would not allow itself to be recorded.