NO!!!

Nothing in Chicago is simple, it appears. Particularly phone service. Ameritech (the hated) has to make changes in phone service. We were told by our new service, RCN, that it would switch on Thursday, and that there might be a disruption between the hours of 4 and 11. They were right. Our phone was disconnected between the hours of four and eleven. However, we did not get a live phone line AGAIN for 5 days. And when we finally DID get THAT--the phone did not ring. So RCN called Ameritech to come and look at it. Ameritech did. They determined that it was inside, so RCN had to take care of it. RCN came back. However, they couldn't figure out how to ring the buzzer, so they just stated that they missed us and we had to reschedule. So I called RCN and asked about this odd turn of events.

"Hello, we were told that someone was supposed to come to our apartment between 8 and 4 today."
"Yes, ma'am, they were there between 11 and 11:45."
"Well, we were in the front room at the time--did they ring the buzzer?"
"Ma'am, it says here that you are in apartment #3F, are you really in #3?"
"Yes, we are in #3, but that doesn't really matter seeing as the buzzers are listed by NAME. It says my NAME right next to the buzzer. We were BOTH in the front room and could have easily HEARD the buzzer."
"Uhh...all I can do for you is reschedule, ma'am."

GRRRR!!! (I can sense that you are beginning to understand my frustration with the world of idiots that seems to be ever encompassing)

And so they came back yesterday. They took a look at the wires inside and determined that the problem was OUTSIDE, on the side of the building that Ameritech hadn't checked. The solution? Call back Ameritech.

Somehow, late last night, my dad called and the phone actually rang for the first time in two weeks. It remains uncertain how this came about for as far as we know...Ameritech never showed up. Typical.