An absurd evening at The Office

* The sky was that dim dark blue that makes you realize its past seven and you're going to be at work for another hour easy. I was, predictably, still following up on things that were probably not my job due to the fact that we were under-staffed. Making sure the damned Finance department would pay my vendors on time became more important than design work, since without printers you can't get anything done anyway. In this case, 'on time' was long gone and it was quickly turning into paying my vendors 'ever'. Add to that the internet is down (again) and the emails are not working (again). So my numerous replies and follow ups must be done via phone. It was during this process that I had a very strange twlight-like conversation with the HOD of Finance.

[The Finance dept. lost all the bills, and I had sent them copies the second time].

"Hi, FM."

"Hi, yes Aditi"

"I just wanted to tell you that I have sent all the bill copies to the Purchase dept. again. My email is not working, so I just wanted to say that I gave it to them in the afternoon."

"Good, good. okay. Once Mahesh tells me he's recieved it, I will go ahead."

"But he has recieved it, I gave it to him in the afternoon."

"Yes but nowadays I don't trust anybody, not even you, not even Mahesh."

"Okay..."

"I don't even trust myself. Finance dept. is such, the kind of work that we do. You can't be too careful. I don't even trust what I am saying and doing."

"(Laughter) You don't even trust yourself? But how...?"

"I'm telling you. You never know if the bills are recieved, with accounts, with purchase, finance or wherever. Once I know where they are, then I will take action."

"Okay, but I gave them to Purchase today."

"You already told me that. Are you telling me twice because you had to give copies of the bill twice?" (Laughter)

I forced a laugh out of myself. I don't think giving copies of bills again and again is funny at all. "But I'm just telling you FM, that's all."

"Good, good. And once I am certain of what's happening, I will definitely take action." At this point I gave up since I realized we were having a circular conversation.

"Enjoy!" FM continued. This was the most strangest part. I had never had such a long conversation with him, but this was definitely a weird way to hang up.

"Okay... Thanks then." (For nothing, I added in my head).

"Enjoy, enjoy!" he repeated merrily and then hung up. I stared at the phone for a couple of moments, wondering what just happened. Clearly someone was making a fool of me. I looked around, but everyone was seriously typing away at their cubicles. So I shrugged it off and got back to work.

*