I typically refrain from drinking during weekdays, but this week I made an exception. Upon arriving home, I took a bath and shaved (I prefer to shave at night to avoid facing myself in the morning, particularly when I have a razor in hand). The next morning, I woke up feeling somewhat rough, washed up, had breakfast, brushed my teeth, and dressed in a crisp white shirt, suit, and polished boots.
I arrived at work at my usual time of 9:30. A girl, celebrating her birthday, approached me waving a piece of paper just as I was about to remove my jacket.
“Jim, I had an urgent call for you regarding a case; could you please call this person back?” she said.
Taking the piece of paper containing a hastily written name and phone number, I asked, “From where are they calling?” Her response was, “I don’t know.” I pressed on, “What’s the phone number then?” To which she replied, “I didn’t take it.”
With an audible sigh, I replied, “Thanks for relaying this to me, but please, in the future, make a note of who is calling; it makes things much easier for me and is more professional, OK?”
Off she flounced, saying, “I was only trying to do you a favour.” Ironically, it’s her job as she works on the telephone hotline!
Anyway, after handling the call, ten minutes later, one of the managers from the other team (with whom we aren’t exactly on good terms) approached me with a completely insincere expression, saying, “Jim, a staff member mentioned that you smell of alcohol.”
Well, I wonder who that could possibly be.
by Jim Aborwhear
