I steal a glance at the digital clock on the top right hand corner of my computer screen. It reads 7:45pm. What a long day. I’m just putting the final touches on my PowerPoint presentation for tomorrow when I hear a faint, repetitive clicking noise. I look at the screen and see a long line of the letter “F” trailing across the slide titled Opportunities for Growth.  

I start swatting at the keyboard in a panic, repeatedly hitting the key to try to get it unstuck. After about five solid attempts, it finally breaks lose, the small black square popping right out of its position in the middle row.

Errrgh.

I reach for the computer mouse in attempt to highlight and remove the unwanted text, but the mouse resists, pulling back in a quick, jerky motion. I yank it towards my body, trying to get some more slack, only to realize the wire is tangled up in one large knot behind my desk.

Well, isn’t this just wonderful!

 Why is it that technology always chooses to fail at the most inopportune times?

Patience is not a quality often found in my repertoire. Rather than fighting it, I decide to save the document to a USB so I can finish it on my laptop at home. It’s going to be a late night.

I start packing up my briefcase when I notice the March Office Plus flyer sitting at the edge of my desk. Andy must have dropped it off when I was out grabbing my fifth coffee of the day.

I pick it up and begin leafing through the pages, only to fall back into my desk chair with a loud sigh. That’s when the Comfort Curve Keyboard and Wireless Mobile Mouse catch my eye.

The truth is, I’m long overdue for an update in the computer accessory department. I imagine how much more efficient my day would have been if I had the proper tools to get my work done. It’s almost as though I hear Andy’s encouraging voice in my ear, telling me how the ergonomically-friendly keyboard would not only boost my comfort level but also my typing performance. Not to mention, the wireless mouse would work with both my desktop and laptop.

I do spend a lot of time in front of the computer, I say aloud, agreeing with the imaginative Andy in my head. Proper office ergonomics improve quality of life.

All right Andy, I’m convinced! I call out to the empty office. I dog-ear the top right corner of the flyer page and lay it on top of my broken keyboard so I remember to make an order first thing tomorrow morning.

For now, I have a presentation to finish, in addition to the laundry to fold, dishes to clean, the kids’ lunches to pack. Maybe my keyboard really was trying to tell me something. If I had to grade my productivity today, it would receive a big, ugly “F”.

My mind flashes back to my university days, when the only letters I saw staring back at me were the two leading the alphabet. I’m definitely in need of a change. Fortunately, with a little help from Office Plus, I’m confident I’ll turn those “F”s into “A”s in no time.