It seemed to come down to the haves and the have-nots — those with internet and those without.
It quickly became clear on Friday morning, thanks to the super-friendly driveway sealer working on the neighbouring property who not only had Rogers internet been disrupted nationwide but that the outage would be prolonged.
Rogers internet service, according to his estimation, had been failing since at least 4:30 a.m. that morning.
So off I set out in the neighbourhood, in search of a friendly, sympathetic compadre who subscribed to an internet provider not related to the Rogers dynasty of companies who would also be willing to throw their doors open to a needy soul.
No luck. Rogers dominates in these parts, where it seemed to be that perfect day for a dog walk or taking in the summer sun. People were definitely out and about.
Off to the mall then.
There I found a comfortable spot in the food court, for the most part alone. If there were others there seeking out the security of the internet, they weren’t obvious.
As I started trying to connect with people, thanks to internet-enabled phone service, the extent of the disruption became clear. Call after call wouldn’t go through. But at least I had access to the world through a connected laptop.
The mall was soon abuzz with people. Only one other person busted out their computer in the food court, but the place seemed to swarm with shoppers poking away at their smart phones. It was hard to tell, though, if this was different than any other day, given the ubiquitous use of the devices. Resigned to the fact that mine accompanies me just about everywhere, it now doubles as my wallet.
Finally, I connected with a neighbour through Facebook Messenger and hit bingo! She’s a Bell subscriber. She wasn’t home, but I was welcome to convert the dining room table into a desk and bring along another hauling along their own pile of equipment. Would I like her to turn on the A/C. Such a nice woman!
On my way there, I thought I’d check a local coffee shop for other desperate people. I found only two people on their devices. One didn’t need to be there — he wasn’t a Rogers subscriber and seemed to not understand the desperation us have-nots had been experiencing all morning.
But the second person fully understood. Not being able to connect with an important family member, she indicated, left her with more than a sense of discomfort.
Finally, ensconced at the neighbour’s dining room table, we went to work.
Tables, though, especially dining tables, don’t make for the most convenient work stations. They’re a bit too high and don’t allow for a comfortable extension of the arms for computer use.
But the couch worked just fine.
By the time my neighbour got home, she found me stretched right across her couch surrounded with pens, a notebook, phone, another computer, two computer bags, and snacks with the computer cord pulled taught across the room.
Ah, the help of a neighbour in times of need leaves one with an incredible sense of comfort and, of course, forever grateful to the supporting neighbourhood culture.
Marg. Bruineman is a staff reporter at BarrieToday.
