[BC] Dumb Listeners

[Dave Dunsmoor]

From: "Gary Peterson" <kzerocx at rap.midco.net>
> ...
> I considered this fellow to be a jackass for two reasons.  First, for
> thinking an AM station would be likely to capture his translator.  Second,
> for his verbal abuse of our receptionist and his subsequent refusal to
call
> her and apologize....

    Ha! I'll bet I worked for that guy...briefly.

    I don't recall exactly the exchange, but it was a situation where I had
just started doing contract work for a local AM, and the phone interface was
a home-made lashup built by someone unknown to me. It had a specific set of
settings of the board and external switches, but when done right, sounded
ok. And it worked all week long for the air staff. He ran a Saturday morning
radio-auction, and could never get it right.

    After I figured it out, and explained it to him several times (and why
I, as the newest guy in the building, should have to be explaining something
that had been there longer than I had, I don't know). But following one
Saturday morning auction that went poorly due to the setup being "not
right", he barged out of the control room and started in on me verbally, in
front of several of the staff.

    I took about 15 seconds of this then started toward his office and said
quite forcefully "follow me"! When we got to his office, I closed the door
and told him that I had explained how to setup the phone interface, and he
still got it wrong, therefore the problems he experienced were self induced.
And if he EVER acted like that to me again, he'd be doing the engineering
himself. Immediately.

    Then I left, went back to doing whatever it was that I was doing before
the incident. I don't think I said anything to anyone about the private
exchange, but I think his change in demeanor said it for me.

    Now, here's the good part, Gary. I think he moved to South Dakota
shortly after. This was in 1980-81 maybe. I'll send you a private note on
what I think his name was. Interesting story.

Dave Dunsmoor