The emergency phone rings, so I answer to dish out invaluable IT support:

I: IT Department, I am Niklas, speaking. User: Hnnngh. I: IT Department, Niklas speaking. User: Hahaha, do you know what I just did? I: My clairvoyant side is a tad off today, so I'm not on par with you. U: Hahaha, you're funny. I: Thank you. May I help you? U: Hahaha! I: Can I help you? U: Well, yes, my password.

I love this part of the rhetoric process: what does the person imagine I should say about that last line? "Oh, your password. That's easily fixed," or something like "I see! I've got my finger on your pulse, alright: your password. Mmm. There. Now it's...fixed, or something."

I: Do you mean you'd like me to give you a new password? U: Hahaha! You're so funny! I: Well, thank you, but would you like a new password, or is anything else the matter? U: "Anything else", hahaha! I: ... U: Oh yes, my password. I: ... U: I would like...I would like...I would...

At times, I feel like unleashing a few experiments onto some of the people who call, Dr. Moreau-style.

U: I would like a new password! I: Of course. U: I work here, if that's of any use to you. I: Thank you, it is. I'll immediately send your new password to a colleague of yours by e-mail. U: Well, why not just give me the password over the telephone? I: Because I'm not allowed to: if we did that, anybody who could call us could impersonate you and then have access to your network user-account. You wouldn't want that, right? U: But...why can't you just give me the password over the telephone?

Why? Why? What's the trouble? Does the user revert to the last known functioning piece of information in his/her mind at this point, or was I talking complete gibberish? At times, it seems like people call the emergency phone - which is for IT support, mind you - in search of mental massage of some sort. What's the deal? Oh, I have this problem, so just wave a magic wand and make it go away while I just behave like Lindsay Lohan on a bad day.

It's time to go home. Weekend, here I come. Mmm.