Jose

"Jose has a new computer!!"  It was a shout.  And he really did. Without a doubt.  But that’s the end.  Here is the beginning . . . . .

Miss Perpegagno's Chess Class

In Little Haiti, Mrs.  Perpegangno taught chess to her 4^th grade class at Toussaint Lorvature Elementary School.  Jose one of her better pupils knew chess champion, St. John Fortune, another of her students , was getting a computer from ‘Dwight's Computers for Kids’.  So he patiently waited for a chance to talk to me and then asked me if I would fix his computer.  I took his phone number.  But when I called whoever answered thought I was a bill collector or something and suddenly English was not understandable.  I tried again, but I could not get through and then I forgot about it.  When I had occasion to go back to  the school I saw this familiar face politely waiting again  for me to finish talking to the teacher.
I started the conversation, "Whoa, don’t tell me, I know  . . .Juan?  No?. . . Two? No?   OK tell me."  "Jose !!!"  "Right.  Jose I called but couldn’t get you."  His face showed understanding.  "Mr. Kaufman, can you call today between 4 and 4:30 I’ll be home, please?"   "It’s a deal."  So I called and made a date. 
When the door opens to his apartment, on the 2nd floor of a U shaped 2 story apt. building,  I can see the computer on a small table against the not too far away wall.   It’s a 386 (a 386 was before the first Pentiums and it had a small floppy disc drive which stopped the computer from booting up if a disc was in the drive) and I can see a disc in the floppy drive.  I call his attention away with a question  and successfully get the floppy out without him noticing.  (386's with Windows 3.1 not only would not start unless the disc was removed, it also did not tell you a disc was in the drive.)  "This is easy Jose, there’s really nothing wrong with it.  But just to be sure . . "  I raise my arms high, spread my fingers wide, and slowly bring my arms to horizontal and say "pffffffft!!"  Then I snap my finger and say,   "OK, fixed."   



Jose has a computer!!!
 

"No, no it really doesn’t work." 

"Jose will you just turn it on?"
 
He turns it on, it boots  up, and starts. 

How did I ever keep a straight face. 
I say, "Look Jose, this computer is too old. I am going to get a newer computer for you with  Windows 98 and some games.  Will you be home Saturday, in the morning?"  

On Saturday, when I deliver the computer, a lot of kids from the other apartments gather, then come in and one says out loud, "Jose has a new  . . . . . . .