(In an office)
Manager: How’s
the year-end project going? Need any
help?
Employee:
Nope! Actually almost done early this
year, thank goodness – so happy, you cannot believe.
Manager: I
bet. You also prep the filter for this
for next year?
Employee: On it
now! I’m so excited this’ll be done,
completely done, for once something at work is entirely and absolutely done,
I could cry.
Manager:
OK. Maybe take some days off next week
then, yeah? You’re accruing too many
hours and H.R.’s been on my case about it.
Employee: All
righty! And I can take them with a clear
conscience, knowing this project’s not hanging over my head waiting for me when
I come back!
Manager:
Right. We just have the year-opening
project to work on after that.
Employee:
Oh. No matter: my spirits will not be
dampened. (Proceeds with final data
entry)
Error: Oh,
hello. Can you see me?
Employee:
<La-la-la…>
Error: Wow, you
really didn’t catch what you did just now.
Employee:
<Do-re-mi-fa->
Error:
Completely oblivious. You realize when
you run that filter next year, it’ll miss these items you just updated `cause
you entered the wrong date on them, yes?
Employee:
<Mmmm-mmm-mmm->
Manager: If you’re
going to hum, please do it to an actual tune and not some random notes in your
throat.
Employee:
Right-ho! <Mmmm-mmm-mmm->
Manager: [Sigh]
Error: I’ll just
wait right here, minding my own business, until you finally notice me. See you on the other side.
SIX MONTHS LATER
Employee:
Oh boy, I can’t believe this!
Manager:
What?
Employee:
Did you see the memo they just e-mailed us?
They put the wrong start date for the program!
Manager:
Huh. Oh yeah, they have it listed for a
month later than what we were told – this probably is an older version of the
notice or something.
Employee:
They’ll issue a retraction in five minutes – can you imagine being the person
who sent it? What a mistake to
make! Company-wide! Glad I’m not them right now.
Error:
You poor child.
SIX MONTHS LATER
Manager:
So, it’s that time of the year again – how’s the project going?
Employee:
Perfectly! I’m finishing up my last
checks and it’ll be all done!
Error:
Really has no idea.
SIX HOURS LATER
Manager:
You got a minute?
Employee:
(Leaning back in chair with feet propped up on the desk) I have all the
minutes. What’s up?
Manager:
I ran a report to reconcile the database and I saw a few inconsistencies.
Employee:
(Lowers feet) A few what in the what?
Manager:
Specifically, these. (Hands over paper)
Error:
Hi there.
Employee:
(Frantically speed-reads) Oh no….
Manager:
“Oh no”? Those are two words I never
want to hear.
Employee:
(Accelerates speed-reading) No-no-no-no-no-no-no-
Manager:
Removing the “Oh” doesn’t make it better.
Employee:
But I checked – I got them all – how could I have missed – (Gasps in horror) I
entered the wrong date for them last year so the filter never picked them up!
Error:
Bingo.
Manager:
How could you have entered the wrong date?!
(Grabs back the paper and reads)
Ah. December always does have 31
days in it, you know.
Employee:
(Sinks head onto desk) I know! I have no
idea what came over me when I was updating those! I must have lost my mind in the glee of
project completion!
Manager:
All right, calm down – can’t go back in time and undo it, so you’ll just have
to get these done now and hope we don’t get audited any time soon.
Employee:
(Lifts head) I can’t believe I messed this up a whole year ago and never even
knew it!
Error:
And therein lies my power.
