22nd July, 2003.

I had to take yesterday off, and wasn't able to warn either manager or Cow-orker until Friday. The following conversation takes place in my absence.

"I can't believe he took today off! I have a training course this afternoon!"

"Did you tell him?"

"He should have known!"

"Why should he have known? Did you tell him?"

"Thats not the point! He should have known, and taken another day off instead! He knew I had this course on this afternoon! What are we going to do?"

Yes, woe unto us, for there shall be no-one to answer the phone for two hours in the afternoon.

"You didn't tell him, did you? How's he supposed to know what you're schedule is, if you don't tell him?"

"But this training schedule was e-mailed to everyone!"

"Did you tell him you were going?"

[silence]

"Well?"

"That's not the point!"

Note that she never actually admits that she didn't tell me when her traning course was on (despite our manager asking her the same question repeatedly to intimidate and patronise her). Of course the real punchline is still to come. The Cow-orker checks her schedule again to find out where the training course is and discovers that it's not actually on for another two weeks anyway.

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