I Am NOT Making This Up

Let me precede this story for those of you who haven't seen them...some of the ads for Apple's newest Powerbook show the 3 computers in a row with the same graphic on them. A picture of a pagoda by a river. It's kinda pretty. But it was the last thing on my mind when I picked my last call up this evening...

Skippy: "Hi. Um I'm a little embarassed about this but um...you know that pagoda picture in the ads for the new Powerbooks?"

Me...has to think a minute "Huh? Um...oh yeah, that. Cool picture."

Skippy: "Yeah well, see I bought the computer because of that picture.

Me(*Boggles*): "Okay..."

Skippy: "Well I'm kinda upset that it wasn't included as one of the backgrounds and I want the picture. Where can I download it?"

Me: "Um...I don't think it's available for downloading. In any case, it's not on our website."

Skippy: "Ok...well can you tell me where I can find it?"

Me: "I wouldn't even begin to have a clue. Like I said, I don't think it's available."

Skippy: "Okay...can you tell me the title of the picture?"

Me: "I don't know. I don't have access to the background information on our ads. I only see the finished product, like you."

From there it dissolved into several minutes of the customer repeatig the same questions, demanding that I transfer him to the marketing or advertising department (Which I have no ability to do) I tried suggesting that he Google for "pagoda wallpaper" or something like that...he wanted me to promise that he'd find it there. Yeah, right. And just generally rendering me unable to speak for several minutes afterwards.


I think this replaces the woman who was going to return her computer because it didn't have a solitaire game on it as most insane call ever.

Why'd I Do That?

So I bought this bar of soap today. Mostly because it has a pretty shell in the middle of it. And hey...soap is good, clean stuff, right. The lable says "Spicy, floral scent" I couldn't smell it through the wrappings, but I bought it anyway.

Got it home, unwrapped it...

It. Smells. Like. PINE SOL.

I actually like the smell of pine sol...but I don't want to smell like it myself. So much for "spicy floral"

Now...how to get the shell out without using the soap....

Update: thanks to those who responded so quickly with ideas...hehehe. I was impatient, so I didn't feel like sitting it in water and waiting. So I grabbed my Leatherman and cut the soap off from arund the shell, then shaved it down as far as I could ithout damaging the shell...then I ran hot water over it til the soap was nothign but soap scum. There's still a bit in the cracks and crevices, but I was able to get most of it off by putting some sugar in my hands and rubbing the shellwith the sugar. The shell is a iece of very colorful abalone or somesuch. it wil make a pretty necklace or something.