The Twentieth Century Computer

The computer flashed, and then the screen went blank as George turned towards the screen. He sat staring at the blank screen, scratching his head, ‘For gods sake, what’s up with you today?’ he asked, agitated at the computer's refusal to show the desktop.

He got up from his chair and checked the leads to make sure none were loose or had become detached, but everything was in place.

George pressed the return key, then a few other keys, and the computer remained stubborn, with no sign of life.

His wife, Eve, came into the room with a cup of coffee. “Morning coffee and biscuits,” she said, light heartedly. Then, looking at the computer, said, “Not switched on yet, George?”

George, feeling more than agitated by now, replied sharply, “The damn thing came on then flashed off, and I can’t get any life out of it!”

“Oh,” Eve answered, looking at George’s red face, “have you checked the mains?”

George took in a deep breath, “Of course I’ve checked the mains!”

Eve thought it best to leave George to get on with it; he was never very good with the workings of the inside of a computer. She quietly closed the door because she knew very shortly some strong language would filter through the air. She went off into the kitchen and picked up her mobile.

“Right,” George said, with determination in his tone, “I will get you working again whether you like it or not!” He spoke to the computer as if it would give back an answer, but it just sat there, defiant and lifeless!

“Now, let me see…,” George said, pressing the Esc key, then he again pressed the return key. He turned the computer around and pressed hard on the connections just to make sure again that they were firmly in place. None of these actions made one bit of difference, and the computer remained blank.

George was exasperated and decided to go outside and sit in the sunshine with his coffee and biscuits until he had cooled down!

Eve finished her phone call, then called out, “Off to the shops, see you in a bit.”

George shouted, an Okay and went back to his coffee and biscuits. He sat looking at the garden and thinking about what he could do to get his computer working again. He wanted to browse around; it was his morning ritual to browse around on the web. He’d been doing this for the past few years since retiring. And now the day had not turned out as usual, which really got his back up!

Around ten minutes later, a voice shouted, “Dad, Dad, where are you?”

It was Danny. “I’m out here in the back garden,” George answered, turning around to see Danny walking towards him. “Well, this is a surprise, son, don’t normally see you until later,” George said, smiling.

“I was on my way to town and just thought I would pop around,” Danny replied, “I might go and see the local footie match later this afternoon and wondered if you’d like to come, should be a good one.”

“Oh, yes,” George said, feeling quite enthusiastic about an afternoon out with his son. “I would like to come, be like old times, eh, haven’t been to a football match for ages together.”

“Anyway, you’re normally on your computer this time of the day,” Danny said, looking at his Dad with a grin.

“Well, I can’t get the damn thing to work,  it has gone blank on me, and I can’t fix it!” George replied with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“Let me have a look for you, come on, Dad, we’ll sort it out, and if not, I have a friend who will come and look at it for you, okay,” Danny said, walking towards the computer desk.

“Okay,” George said, feeling a bit less agitated.

“Right, what happened before the screen went blank?” Danny asked, looking at the computer, he could hear it running, but a blank screen.

“Umm.. oh yes, I switched on then turned around to pick up my pen because I’d knocked it off the desk,” George said, picking up the pen.

Danny thought for a moment and then pressed the on button on the monitor, and the computer came to life!

George looked dumbfounded, “Well, I never thought of that, how daft am I, it was so obvious. I must have knocked the switch with my elbow when I bent down to pick up the pen!” George said, feeling just a bit silly.

“There you are, up and running, and your Saturday morning routine back on course,” Danny said, making light of the situation. “Perhaps, Dad, you ought to think about a new one at some point. This one is running slowly; it could easily give up the ghost any time. It is very old.”

Just then, Eve returned, “Oh, hello, Danny, you’re here early. Ah, I see the computer is back up and running, then George,” she said, turning and winking at Danny.

“Yes, Dad fixed the problem, all done,” Danny replied, winking back.

George spent the rest of the morning content with his usual morning ritual, thinking perhaps he ought to upgrade and get one of those all-in-one computers he’d seen when browsing around. He’d had this computer for years, and it did take up a lot of room with this part and that part.

This morning was enough hassle, he thought, and Danny was right, it could die at any given moment. He keyed in all-in-one computers in the search bar to find his ideal companion. A page full of all-in-one computers popped into view, and George eagerly set about his mission to find a new modern, twentieth-century computer “Now, let me see…?

Jan  Hope

© 2025