The Computer and the New User

An older gentleman named Harold finally decided to buy his first computer. After spending three hours trying to set it up, he called the customer support line in a state of absolute panic. "It’s broken!" he shouted into the phone. "I’ve been pushing the foot pedal for ten minutes and the screen hasn't changed once!"

The support technician, a young woman named Sarah, paused for a long moment. "I’m sorry, sir. Did you say a foot pedal? We don't usually ship those with our standard desktop models."

"Of course you do!" Harold snapped. "It’s small, gray, and has a long cord that leads right back to the box. I’ve been stomping on it, but the little arrow on the screen just sits there."

Sarah took a deep breath. "Sir, I think I see the problem. Could you please take your foot off the 'pedal' and place it on the desk next to your keyboard?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then, Harold whispered, "Oh. You mean I’m supposed to use my hand?"

"Yes, sir," Sarah replied. "And please, try not to click it with your toes. It’s very sensitive."