Missing!

There’s a problem in the Com household – a computer problem. And Bill Com, Dot’s dad, is DETERMINED to fix it. Whatever it takes!

Suzie Com sighed.

A big, big “What is it about men?” sigh.

“It's all right!” said her husband Bill, calling from where he'd been for the last three hours. “Nearly there now!”

There was a computery kind of plink! noise.

“Oh!” said Bill, sounding confused. “That shouldn't have happened!”

Suzie sighed again. She wished Dot were here. She was such a wiz with computers, she'd probably have sorted out whatever was wrong in about ten minutes. As it was, it was 1130 and her husband was still in his pyjamas - after saying first thing that morning that he'd “just nip down and fix that little prob”. He'd brought her up a cup of tea and she hadn't seen him since.

He hadn't shaved and his hair was standing on end, and all so he could fix the big computer - not Dot's laptop luckily. It was obvious the “little prob” had become a big prob. A big, fat, annoying computery problem - one of those ones where what's meant to be a Really Useful gadget becomes about as useful as a Kleenex umbrella in a rainstorm!

And he'd taken the day off work specially so they could go out for a nice pub lunch and pop into the garden centre and just... well, have some time out together till it was time to get Dot from school!

PLINK! PLINKPLINKPLINK!!

Right! thought Suzie. I'm putting my foot down!

She put the kettle on, watched it boil and made a strong cup of coffee and took it into the dining room where the big computer was. She also brought a plate of Bill's favourite ginger shortcake biscuits. (They're really nice, you know. Think I might have one... mmmm... better not, just yet...)

Bill was sitting sadly looking at the computer screen. He reached up and scratched his head. The last bit of his hair that hadn't been sticking up was now sticking up too. He looked like a Mohican Indian who'd been using too much hair gel.

Suzie stifled a giggle and put the coffee down next to her baffled husband.

“Darling” she said “Why don't you just let it go? Let's call Zapotek at Mouse Mania. He's really good at fixing computers - provided we've got enough chocolate Hobnobs to keep him going!”

It was Bill's turn to sigh. And for sure, what was on the computer screen was enough to make anyone sigh. In one of those scary boxes in the middle of the screen, it said:

Maybe I should have brought some headache pills too, thought Suzie.

Bill sighed again. Then he took a big swallow of coffee and a big bite of biscuit. It seemed to give him an idea.

“I know!” he said, beaming up at his long-suffering wife. “There’s just one more thing we can try!”

Oh... no... thought Suzie.

But Bill was away. He dashed upstairs and was back down again in a flash, carrying the mouse that Dot used on her laptop - Mr Mouse on fact. Fast asleep inside his click-on backpack of course.

Bill took the mouse he'd been using out of the desktop PC and plugged in Mr Mouse.

PLINK! PLINKPLINKPLINK!!

Now the scary message was more scary than ever. It had turned red and the words "FATAL ERROR" were flashing like the lights on top of a police car!

“Oh... dear... ” said Bill. Then he looked up at Suzie and smiled, in the way that reminded her why she loved him and why they had such good times as a family.

“Time to give up!” he said. “The Pear Tree pub awaits!” He dashed back upstairs again and Suzie heard the bzzzzing sound of his razor. “I'll ring Zapotek right now!” he called.

“No - I'll do that!” said Suzie. “You get on!”

Phew, she thought. Thank HEAVENS for that!