When Machines Talk Back

For a few months I've been helping out on Wednesdays in the church office, while they're "between" secretaries. Mainly, I put the bulletin together but there are plenty of other things that need doing, so I keep busy. Usually I can crank out the bulletin in around four hours. That's when all the equipment is working the way it's supposed to...

Today was one of those days when nothing wanted to work right. The copier is limping along, waiting for some parts that are on order. This week, it wants to be hand-fed and mollycoddled, so everything takes twice as long. It was a great copier when it was new (about ten years ago) and can still do a good job when it wants to. When I have trouble with it, I just call in PR. It seems like the copier sees him coming, because as soon as he pushes the button, it behaves perfectly.

Then there's the bulletin folding machine.... Our bulletin is double-folded, and up until today the machine always did the second fold backwards so I ended up having to refold that flap by hand. Well, PR worked his magic, and today, for the first time, the machine got it right! I was so excited that both folds came out exactly as they should... until I noticed that about every 7th bulletin came out with a crinkly chunk taken out of it. Arrrgh! No wonder the previous bulletin person had set the machine to reverse that second fold. It's an obvious revolt of the machines.

I know there's a sermon illustration lurking here, but I'm too tired to look for it right now. I'm going to bed.