High-Tech Meltdown

CW: Contains Mental Health, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, College, Parenting Mistakes

Finishing up my final paper I was exhausted and excited all at the same time. I took a drink and wondered, “where is she now?”...Margot Kidder. My college essay was based on a famous person with a mental health disorder. I had finally completed my 12 page paper on her journey with a mental illness, Bipolar Disorder. 

Through all of my research, I was fascinated by her strength and courage sharing her diagnosis and how she came to learn about what she was experiencing. Her journey began with a public episode after being dropped off at LAX in 1988. She had gone missing for several days and when she was found, she was disheveled, wearing old cast clothing, and had been located in the backyard of a Los Angeles resident. 

When she was stable, Margot conducted many interviews reporting she feared her husband was trying to kill her. Later she got a virus on her computer and thought it was a conspiracy, then plummeted into her first major manic episode. Upon investigating, I discovered she was an advocate for Bipolar Disorder awareness and was helping others who were also experiencing BPD. 

Taking one last sip, I sat back and clicked on the nearest site “Where is Margot Kidder today?” Instantly a noise came from my laptop, “crunch, crunch, munch, munch,” and to my baffled eyes, I saw a bug eating my screen. Files, background, folders all began to disappear! 

“AHHHHHHH…” I screamed to my 11 year old daughter, as I watched in disbelief. “Help Katy, Helllllpppppp!!!!” She came running out of her room and frantically I held the laptop up for her to see. “What’s happening????”” 

Katy screamed “shut it off!” I then, unbeknownst to me, quickly closed my laptop.  She grabbed it and said “mom that was a virus, you have to turn off your computer.” 

“What? What do you mean a VIRUS??? I did turn it off!” She calmly explained to me my computer had been hacked and I had a virus. I panicked and opened it up again, all the while the damn little bug now had friends because I had not turned it off, only slammed it shut. 

I didn’t realize the damage was already done. Becoming aware that I had not backed up or submitted my final paper, sheer panic entered my soul. The deadline was the next morning at 10am, NO EXCEPTIONS. 

“What do I do, WHAT DO I DO???” while beginning to cry. Katy picked up my phone and called the closest Staples 30 minutes away. It was 8:25pm, they closed at 9:00pm. After I frantically explained the situation, they advised me if I could make it there before closing they would take a look at it. I threw my laptop in a bag, hollered at my daughter, we jumped in the car and sped over as fast as I legally could with an 11 year old in the car. We made it with 10 minutes to spare. 

The technician took my laptop to the back, 5 minutes later came back and said “Sure we can fix it, for 250$ and an overnight shipment you can have it back in 2 weeks.” 

Tears started to well up in my eyes, I could feel the lump in my throat as my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. “Two weeks? I can’t wait 2 weeks. I have a very important paper due tomorrow morning which is half my grade!” 

I put my head in my hands, slumped onto the counter feeling defeated. After all the techs left my side, a guy that looked like a punk rocker straight from the 80’s handed me a slip of paper and said, “If you want I can fix this for you, I get off in 5 minutes. Here’s my phone number, give me 10 minutes and call me, I will have directions for you.”

OH MY Margot Kidder!!! This guy is a lifesaver. 

After we left, I called him within ten minutes, he gave me detailed instructions on where and when to meet him. “Bring me 100$, your Laptop and meet me at the corner of Angle and South Central.” 

Before any discouraging thoughts could enter my head, I drove to the ATM, took out 100$, stopped at the gas station and bought my daughter a bag of gummy worms, her favorite drink and told her this was bribery contraband to never mention this HUGE mommy mess up to anyone. I was desperate. 

As we drove into the area where we were to meet, I got a pit in my stomach and a voice in my head saying “What the ‘bleep’ are you doing?” The street was dark, very little housing and junk all over the roads. I pulled up to the corner in the instructions and there were no street lights! 

“Turn around, this isn’t worth it… WHAT am I doing?” I thought to myself. As I started to back up, Superman appeared. Well, OK, it was Ryan, the sales tech from Staples. “Ok, I can do this.” Big breath in, smile on my face, turn to my daughter and “Here’s the drill I have 911 predialed, hit the button if anything goes wrong! AND keep the doors locked, stay out of sight!” 

I stepped out to a smiling face. “Hey I am glad you found me.” 

“Oh no problem, Thank you for doing this for me. Do you think it can be done by the morning?” He said “We’ll see.” Took my stuff and away he went. 

I ran back to the car, my daughter hunched down in the seat playing a game on my phone, swiftly unlocked the door, I got in and we sped off. “Phew, well let’s see if I just got ripped off.” 

I tossed and turned all night, thoughts running through my mind “Dummy, why didn’t you back it up!” 

Morning came, the phone rang at 6:30 and I answered with hesitancy. “Hello?”

“Your laptop is done and all your work is saved.” Oh man those words were the sweetest I could ever hear. I dropped my daughter off at the bus and ran over to meet him before his day shift. 

He explained I had a rootkit from the site I clicked on to find Margot Kidder's current whereabouts. It had attached itself and all its dramatic effects to my hard drive and created a turn of events that had me renegotiating my adult career going back to college. 

So time’s up, I get to my office, pull up my paper. One last review, all is well. As I get ready to hit submit, I panic over the past 24 hours of events. What did I do? What was I thinking? Don’t forget to back this up before you submit it, just in case. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…and hit Submit! Awe, Success, the goodness of people prevails once again the evil of the world! 

“Your life falling apart doesn’t mean you’re special. It means you’re human.” — Lois Lane