The Jumper (Computer not High-rise)

I was working for a big box store in the computer repair department (I was the department). This guy, who was always a hothead and always had trouble with his computer, comes in just as red faced as ever. He walks up to the counter and drops his Packard-Bell desktop on the counter. He starts explaining that he was on the phone was their support (congratulations on getting through, first of all. Second, I’m sorry you had to deal with them). They wanted him to remove the jumper to the bios so it would reset. While this was a fairly common troubleshooting step for Packard-Bell, this time something went wrong.

He tells me that he cannot get the jumper back on. For those of you who do not know a jumper is a small piece of plastic with a metal strap embedded in it that makes contact between two pins on your motherboard, as seen here. 

At this point I am thinking “I know this guy has a lot of issues. But really? he can’t get this back on? Did he break the pins? Did he misalign the jumper and push the metal strap out of it?” I asked him if he had the jumper. He digs in his pocket and pulls out something that is not a jumper, but it was in fact a surface mounted integrated circuit.  

I asked him how he removed it and he stated that he just pulled it off with his fingers like the support tech told him to do. Not that I didn’t believe him, I proceeded to open the computer case and take a look. What I saw was a scratch that went from where this chip was mounted all the way across to the other side of the motherboard. It looked like he took a screwdriver, put it under the corner of the chip and hit the butt of it with the palm of his hand.

He said he didn’t do the scratch and that it must have been there and therefore he wanted a refund for the computer that he bought six months ago. I probably laughed out loud because he then demanded a manager. Sooo, I walked over to talk to my manager.

I explained to my manager what he told me and what I had observed. He of course asked me if there was any way for the customer to just “pull it off with his fingers.” I just looked at him and blinked. We walked back over to the counter, my manager took one look at the chip and the board and said “I am sorry sir, there is nothing we can do for you. You will have to contact Packard-Bell.” This guy got so angry, he starts yelling about how this place is a scam and how he is never shopping here again, etc.

At this point the front door security hits the panic button and comes over behind the customer, who is still raging on about how he deserves a refund. My manager and I just stand there blankly staring at him not saying a word. About five minutes go by and two police officers walk in. My manager breaks eye contact and gestures to the cops behind him.

He finally stops talking but only for a second. He then starts yelling at the officers about how this store owes him money. Of course, they asked him to calm down, which he eventually did and left without further incident.

Two weeks later he is back looking for a new computer, after screaming “I AM NEVER SHOPPING HERE AGAIN!!! THIS PLACE IS A RIP OFF!!!” He was in the store for about an hour looking at computers and asking questions to the salesperson. He then waits in line at the checkout for another ten minutes and when he it is his turn my manager walks over and lets the casher “take a break.” As hothead approaches the manager tells him he is not allowed in the store. I am sure you can imagine how well this goes.

I was not aware until after, but it turns out my manager walked outside with the police and this guy and had told him he was no longer allowed to shop at our store, to which he agreed, and the police confirmed. So, when the manager saw him waiting in line he walked over and had the security guard call the police. By the time the manager confronted him the police had just walked in the door to witness Mr. Redface starting to get all uppity. They kindly escorted him out the door and I never saw him again.