And Steve Said, "It Was Yut."

There is such a thing as a Tech Geek.

Adam. Word programmer, wit-sharp Birminghamer. Square-guy hair, Members Only-style jacket. Being what he is, when a laptop happens to glow before him, he cannot help but streamline the accessing of digital photo files, and switch the click to double-click, and probe deeper into the Sony Vaio bowels than its owner has ever dared go. Without having been asked.

There is also such a thing as a Tech Genie.

Dirk. Internet café manager, pure-bred Berliner (turns each g to y — "das ist yut!" — freaking me out — "did he just say Jud?"). Close-shorn hair, tight pink polo (from which zero assumptions may be derived, this being Europa). A few weeks ago, he checked out F.'s frozen mouse and keyboard, not to mention the cable connection for which she was having me pay but which had yet to function. Within an hour, mouse clicked, keys tapped, and cable IP codes cluttered up my Network Connections. All for 15 (fat) euros. So cheap it hurt. I offered him 2 (whopping) euros more. For a cup of coffee, I said. Jut! he said.

There is also a third thing. A thing of such mystery, such might, such glory, a mere mortal must cast her eyes to the floor lest she blinded by the light... O. Tech God. O.

Steve. Long-time East Bay buddy. So rare a breed as to have been snatched up by the U.S. government for its own occult purposes (and that is all I am allowed to say). Square-guy hair, button-down plaids ( Lacoste gator, above the left nipple, the only tattoo Steve has ever considered). His latest travel circuit: Prague, Budapest, lesser known towns...and Berlin. Sunday allotted to Lilan. "Wasn't I going to take a look at your cable hook-up?" It had fizzled once again. Not that I recalled telling him. All of a sudden, there he was, cross-legged on the parquet floor, palming the router, fingering the cords, replugging the plug-ins. And within minutes, all functioned. Our day could begin.

However.

Not a Tech Geek. Not a Tech Genie. A Tech God. O.

"Why don't I get the wireless working?" "She doesn't have wireless, Steve. She only got cable." "That doesn't matter." Steve shifted from my laptop to F.'s computer. "Let's see here." I hovered behind his shoulder. "I'll wire the Ethernet connection. Excellent — no password." "Woo-hoo!" I said. No idea what I was woo-hooing.

He pounced into configuration menus, cruised from one to another (every tech term in Deutsch, mind you). "Trying to find the SSID. Hmm, it's not broadcasting a security feature." I rubbed his shoulders. "You can do it!" He was my boxer in the ring. "Go Steve!" I slapped him on the back.

"What kind of security is she using, I wonder?" I tried to be interested: "Uh..." Steve traversed another menu: "A pre-shared key maybe?" Mumble click mumble click and I began to drift. "Steve, if you don't mind, I'm gonna..." Fold the clothes draped on the drying rack. Gather towels for another load. Rinse the dishes in the sink. Cheer you on from wherever I am while you do whatever it is you do.

"I'll turn on the DHCP server for the wireless."

From the bedroom: "Sounds good."

"Make sure the MAC address filtering is disabled."

From the hallway: "Great!"

"And now, yes, here we go, yes!"

Running into the living room: "Is it gonna...did you...oh my God!"

Steve leaned back in F.'s anti-ergonomic chair. He beamed upon my laptop. The New York Times home page unfurled on the screen.

"You gave me wireless!? And this will work anytime? And it doesn't cost extra? And it won't screw up connections anywhere else I go? And and and?"

He beamed upon me. O. Mere mortal. Given a gift for which she had not even known to ask.

O. Tech God. Accept my humble offerings:

1.    Sun-drenched stroll in Friedrichshain Volkspark
2.    Tour of baby-ripe Prenzlauer Berg
3.    Late Vietnamese lunch at Monsieur Vuong
4.    A climb up the slivered, silvered Reichstag, the sun flaring orange beyond.

Photo ops abounded. The Tech God snapped like mad. I believe he was happy. I know I was. Don't we look it?

Comments

[Julie]

awww. how cute is that photo? and now you're going to read my blog all the time, right? kidding. i'm taking my time catching up on yours -- you are doing such a good job with writing about your experiences. i'm in awe. you rock!

[jess]

does this belittle adam, only being a mere tech geek and all?