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Friday, December 20, 2002

A Story of Two Coworkers


Ever searched one-eyed for a contact lens? Not over the thick, absorbent white towel on the counter in the well-lit optometrist office bathroom, but say, on the mysteriously-colored tweedlike carpet on the floor of your cubicle or on your black spandex and faux suede shirt--wait! Maybe it fell in the open purse! It ain't easy. Sometimes, like now, unfortunately, it's unproductive. VisionDirect must be summoned!

It would be unethical for me to post the content of someone's email without having their express prior permission, and informing the world at large of having said express permission. Therefore, any likeness that the following content may have to the text of any actual email is unfortunately not coincidental, but could be, and could in fact be the text of any written matter written by anybody, real or imagined.

"your request for [name snuffed to preserve anonymity] has been inducted into the [ditto] Request Hall of Fame. an exemplary effort. many thanks."

This was forwarded to me, with a bit of a nod, from the original recipient. The subject of the email is my verbiage in support of his request for particular recognition for the facesaving job performance of one of his employees (the actual programmer they gave me as technical lead, after a couple of years of that other guy not performing in that capacity.) His boss is telling him that the request is going in the Hall of Fame.

NOTE: He did not forward the content of the request he submitted.

Now, this guy has an observed history of cutting and pasting the text of other people's emails into emails he subsequently sends, enveloped in his salutation and closing--no other original content, no attribution granted. So, I'm pretty sure that's what happened in this case too, but I appreciate him at least giving me a little shout out to say my words wowed. I told him when he gets his bonus for that "exemplary effort", we should do lunch! He later came by to say he'd bracketed my words with "according to [ditto]...". Cool. You know, whatever. I appreciate the kudo regardless.


Then there's this other guy; stellar fellow I've mentioned before. Whole hugely important revenue-generating systems would come to screeching misfortune if he were tragically unavailable for brain-picking and troubleshooting. His breadth, depth and grasp of information is no less amazing than the fact that this big company has no back-up for him that even approaches his abilities! Anyway, he has this "Happy Stupid CoWorkers Gifts Day" he springs on people the last day he's in the office before Christmas. It's not only completely unexpected, the gifts are also very thoughtful and of exquisite taste.

So, he's just sprung this on this newish PM near me. Her shock and exultations are filling the place. I'm using my one-eyed search as a distraction in case, well, he doesn't have anything for me this year. ('Course, I don't have anything for him.) I don't think he did last year, so...maybe it's just a first year he works with you kinda thing...

So, he leaves her cubicle and goes on. My back is turned, my search undeterred, then minutes later, he's back; in my cube, handing me a much-handled paper bag: "It's Your Turn. Happy Stupid CoWorkers Gifts Day!!"

You gotta love this guy.

This year's gift is even better than the last. It's beautiful. I'm taking it home.

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