h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's not often that I feel like singing the praises of multinationals, but the company who makes the blood testing machines I use has done me a good turn today.

My machine stopped working - wouldn't even turn on - some time before I tried to do my lunchtime test. I was confused by this, as I've only had it for a month or so, and it hasn't malfunctioned at all before now. Fortunately, however, the number for the company's help line is stencilled on the back of the machine. I rang them and puzzled them considerably by relating what had occurred, but they succeeded in fixing the problem by having me reverse the batteries and click the on/off switch a couple of times before turning the batteries back the right way and turning the machine on, whereupon it started to work again.

I like it, and find it sufficiently unusual to warrant comment, when people who you rely on to look after you in this way - especially given that the only relationship between you is financial - actually do. Also, now that this has been recorded thusly, I may remember how to fix the problem next time it occurs...!