That time a homeowner followed me into a tight attic for no reason

I was at a house to set up internet in the attic. The space was full of insulation and very low. The owner came up the ladder and just stood there, watching me. He asked me to explain every step, which slowed me down. He almost knocked over my spool of cable at one point. Then he told me how he tried to run his own lines but failed. I had to be careful not to laugh at his mistakes. How do you deal with customers who want to watch every move?

3 comments

3 Comments

bettymartin1mo ago

Just start explaining fiber optics until their eyes glaze over.

nora1841mo ago

Ah, the old 'explain fiber optics' trick. Next thing you know, you're deep into total internal reflection and multimode vs. single-mode cables. Watch their attention span evaporate as you diagram light pulses in silica glass. It's like a magic spell for ending conversations without actually being rude. Just hope no one actually asks a follow-up question, or you're stuck for another hour.

wren_walker621mo ago

My cousin tried that once. Now he's the designated tech support at every family dinner.