|
Midnight in Mumbai. Morning in Missoula. Atul had just asked if he could take control. He pointed me to the screen, and assured me, "If at any time you feel uncomfortable, hit the red X and the session will end."
Still, how would I know when I felt THAT uncomfortable? I had been uncomfortable, at best, since my anti-virus program shut down an hour earlier, unwilling to restart. I had run through half a dozen do-it-yourself options, and ended up clicking the "Support" button. Now I was handing over my computer, its function, its data, and my personal identity to a stranger halfway around the world. I was uncomfortable.
Anxious. Borderline paranoid. But I didn't hit the red X. I needed help.
Darkening in Missoula. Dawning in Mumbai. He handed it back. We had gone through the day together, taking breaks for my lunch meeting and afternoon appointment. Each time I came back, he was there, cheerful, ready to pick up where we left off. While he worked, I followed the confident mouse-strokes that cleared problem files, scanned, uninstalled, reinstalled, dejunked, and tuned up.
He asked if I would like anything else. I declined, and thanked him for his patience and persistence during the day. "Good morning." "Good evening." I felt genuine warmth and connection after many hours of coming and going together by phone and live chat. Atul had transformed from scary stranger into valued partner in reversing my computer's very bad day.
Yes, I know even now that a bad experience could be lurking behind the good one. The computer worked fine last night, but will a secret bug come to life later? What about the personal info? Credit card numbers, passwords...the kinds of things we hold close. Somewhere along the way I had to decide whether to continue struggling with a problem I was unable to solve, or to relinquish control.
This experience repeats every day of our lives. We want so much to be autonomous, self-sufficient, in control; yet every day we hit our limitations. We need help. We let go of control. We trust doctors with our bodies, mechanics with our cars, bankers with our money. I am always amazed at how well a society of billions depends and thrives on the goodwill of unknown others. We take precautions and try not to be stupid, but we cannot live a life that protects us from everything and everyone that could potentially harm us.
My life was enriched by spending the day with Atul. I moved past initial frustration with his accent and the reality of outsourcing to form a bond that connected my need with his expertise. The world is a little smaller, a little friendlier, a little more diversely linked as a result.
What is your experience with the unknown and its hidden threats? How have you dealt with the decision to let go (or when to hit the red X and bail)?
| 
