For the past few months, Smirk has been working to set up a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system for work so all of us at the Office could opt to work from home if we so choose—all office calls would be forwarded appropriately to our various homes. I personally would rather work mostly from home as it's more comfortable, and I save a 38 mile round trip.
So Smirk is doing his part to be enviromentally sound.
I say all of this because the phone system here at the Office is wonky. Our main 800 line is non-functioning and Smirk is still trying to figure out what's going on with The Monopolistic Phone Company about that. And the phone on my desk has been acting weird—or it could be the answering machine it's plugged into. The phone doesn't ring and the only indication that there's a call is the answering machine suddenly kicking on.
As this was happening, I just figured it had something to do with Smirk working on the VoIP for the office (I run the network—I don't run the phone system) or The Monopolistic Phone Company having fun at our expense (not the first time). Or the answering machine is going.
I just now got a call from Smirk and I informed him of the odd behavior with the phone on my desk.
“Did you check that the ringer is on?” he asked.
“The what?”
“The ringer. On the phone. Is it turned on?”
“The ringer?”
“The ringer.”
I checked.
It was turned off.
D'oh!