The so-called computer store

So there is a guy who "sells computers" in a "shop" near me. I use these terms loosely because people rarely go into this shop, and when they do, nobody buys any computers.

It may have to do with the salesman/owner. He doesn't rank highly on the customer-service-ometer. I went to his store once (big mistake) to try to buy a motherboard for a computer that was suffering from dementia. I am sometimes impatient and wanted to buy a motherboard that day; also I had done zero research because the onset of dementia was rather sudden and I needed this fixed ASAP. Consequently I did not have a specific motherboard in mind when I embarked on my quest; all I knew was I needed an AMD motherboard for my AMD processor.

The man in the store seemed rather peeved that I was disturbing his solitude. In fact it took several minutes before he even talked to me, during which time I amused myself by browsing the selection of products available in-store on the shelves. I was trying to choose between a sun-faded PCI video-card with 16 MB ram (remember: this story takes place in 2006), and a handsome plastic drawer for storage of 5.25" diskettes. I had almost decided when the owner asked me what I wanted. This is when his excellent communications skills came into play:

Me: What kind of AMD motherboards do you have?
Him: What kind do you want?
Me: Well, what do you have in stock?
Him: We can order anything.
Me: Yes, but what kind do you have in the store?
Him: Just tell me what motherboard you want, and I can order it for you.
Me: I want to buy a motherboard today, and take it home right away.
Him: It takes 3 days to order.
Me: Do you have any AMD motherboards in stock, right now?
Him: Yes.
Me: What kind of motherboard can I take home today?
Him: We can order any kind you want, just tell me which one.

With this kind of service, it's no wonder that everyone I know who's been in there has come out saying "He's crazy!" Yet somehow his store stays open.

If he isn't selling computers, what is he doing then? My theory is that his store is a front for a secret government research centre. His disheveled appearance, the random collection of parts in the store, and his total inability to communicate with a customer lead me to believe that he is a relic of the Harris government's attempts to eradicate poverty by cutting welfare and genetically modifying poor people to become super-soldiers, or undead zombies.