My office is in a suite that has three offices and a secretary right inside the door of the suite. Our circuit is three counties – Richmond, Columbia and Burke, and at any point in time – any of us could be in any of the three counties, even though we only have an office in one county. Richmond is the main county. But essentially this means that we rarely know why someone isn’t around that day. I barely know my own schedule, much less someone else’s. Oh, and our office is on a totally different floor than everyone else, so people are always wandering up and down the elevators.
So a man came in this morning. The secretary – we will call her K, was not sitting at her desk. He hollared down the hallway – "ANYONE HERE?
Me: "Yes?"
Him: "Is K here today?"
Me: "I’m not sure."
Him: "Does she normally come in on fridays?"
Me: "I think so."
Him: "But you don’t know if she is coming in today."
Me: "Well, I don’t know if she is here or not."
Him: "Where do you think she might be?"
Me: "Um…I have no idea."
Him: (obviously frustrated) "Well, what is the phone number to her desk so I can call her."
Me: "Honestly I don’t know. I normally just talk and she hears me."
Heather: (from the office down the hall): "I know the phone number!"
Me: "Oh wait! Me too! It is right her written on my phone."
Him: "Thanks."
Me: "Your welcome. Have a nice day."
the thin line between optimism and delusion... 