Morning Thoughts: November 17, 2017

I’m so old that I can remember when your company only let you off on Thanksgiving Day and you had to go back to work on Friday.

We never thought it cruel or heartless. Everyone else had to do it, so they said. Consistency is a great balm.

Actually, anyone paying attention would have noticed that the rule didn’t apply to upper management. They would act as if things were normal, only they just didn’t show up on Friday. Who was going to question them?

Once my fellow sufferers and I were well assured of the yearly pattern, we just quietly went about our work as if nothing was going on. After all, we each had our specific jobs to do, and we went it about it with all the ardor, professionalism, attention to detail, and reliability for which we were known and respected. Efficiency was our trademark and loyalty our brand. Friday found us adhering to our reputation for teamwork.

Jack brought the ice and a couple of buckets.

Christie brought the tomato juice.

Ron hauled in the celery.

Steve made sure the Worcestershire Sauce arrived, along with some lime juice and pepper.

Sally brought some Elton John cassettes. Someone else had Cheech and Chong.

Pat brought plastic drinking glasses.

I picked up enough vodka to outfit a small Navy destroyer.

Bill brought the duplicate key to the Boss’s liquor cabinet in case we ran out.  

We had a rare Pentecostal with a sense of humor, a teetotaler who volunteered to play receptionist with a prepared list of attention-diverting responses such as:

“Oh hi Boss. Hope you’re having fun. We’re all fine and I’ll let them you called to check. That was so thoughtful of you. I’m sure they will appreciate it.”

“Jimmie has stepped out to the men’s room just now. Pat ran over to the Blueprint Shop. Yes. I'll be sure to remind them.”

“They are all busy trimming a large mat board right now and I think it’s best not to interrupt …. We don’t want to have a cut finger, now do we?”

“She’s on the other phone with a client just now, may be a while.”

“The noise? Oh, I think one of the guys from the ad agency upstairs stopped by to share a joke with the guys in back.”

“What? Oh? Oh no, I don’t think they minded having to work today at all.”

“You just have a great day and don’t worry about us. Pat and Jimmie will take care of things just fine. Bye.”

 As Jimmy Buffett once said, “Some things never change.”

As they used to say back in the day,
what happens at the office stays in the office.