Guys like me will do a lot to make room for DSTV's new PVR decoder. Having an unsigthly decoder on my balcony is one and re-arrnaging a day's appointments to fit in with their installation is another.

It is now 8pm, Friday and Sat-Girl whom I expected at 2.30 only arrived at 6.30. Not a great start. Next I call DSTV Customer Care (Care? What Care?) to have my long awaited PVR activated. So I press the wrong button and not "3" - remember this when you need to do so  and after holding on for a LONG time, I tell the guy who finally answers that I'm not calling back and he must help me.

"I have to fax through the form before they can activate me" - he says. I reply: "It is 7pm on a Friday, I don't have a fax at home and, anyway", I say, "when I last subscribed to DSTV I did it over the phone." He says he can't help me - I ask for the name of his manager - he doesn't know, he replies and now, getting more than a little fucked off say: "How is it possible that you don't know the name of your manager!?" "Please hold", he says and comes back later saying I should give him my number and his manager will call me back. "No, I say, "I'll hang on." Even if the fuckwits at Multichoice are still in the technology dark ages and require a fax, I at least have a portable phone. While I'm holding on - I rummage through the cupboards and find a fax machine - one that I have not used at home for many years.

Anyhoo, as I call DSTV again to check if they're received my fax - and have to hear that infernal "All yoou ever wanted and more" song of theirs I am spitting mad. They can't find the fax.

I've missed Friday night dinner with my family while waiting.

 If you hate DSTV too, please email hate-dstv@BrianBerkman.com and I'll compile the correspondence.