OPEN FORUM: Teasing

By DELMAR LEATHAM

In any work place there is always some good-natured teasing.

A coworker of mine was stopped by the Highway Patrol and given a ticket for speeding. She was very upset at the officer and angry about receiving a ticket. She did not want to go to court and face the judge. He was a long-time neighbor and good friend. I suppose that is one of the blessings or cursings you get for living in a small town.

I was in the shop that day, visiting with the mechanic, and we began talking about our fellow employee’s misfortune. We decided it would be a good idea if she received a satisfaction survey from the Nevada Highway Patrol Department regarding her recent pull over by NHP.

The mechanic got on his computer and cut and pasted an official-looking letter head. The letter began by asking her to complete the attached survey and take it with her when she goes to court. We asked her to answer the questions with a rating from 1 to 10, with ten being the most satisfied.

The survey contained the following questions. 1.) Did the officer treat you in a kind and helpful manner. 2.) Were you stopped at a time and location convenient for you. 3.) Would you recommend this service to your friends and neighbors. 4.) Will you be using our services within the next ninety days. 5.) How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your recent interaction with our department.
We ended our letter by inviting her to have a nice day and we looked forward to working with her in the future.

The letter was placed in her inbox and we waited with anticipation for her to open it. We were not disappointed by her reaction. She was shocked, angry and distraught by the survey.

The mechanic and I sat down with her and went over the questions and what her ratings would be. It wasn’t long before we realized that we had gone too far so we confessed what we had done. Rather than being mad at us, she was relieved that she would not have to take the letter to the judge.

This wonderful Accounts Payable Clerk was famous in the office for another good idea that went wrong. She was spray painting a kitchen chair yellow. When she was done with the job, she realized that she had missed a spot or two that needed to be touched up. Unfortunately, the spray paint can was empty. It was out of propellent.

Not wanting to go the store for another can she decided to open the can with her electric can opener. The opener was mounted under the cupboard and was readily accessible. The can was snapped into position and the opener began to whirrrrr. Yellow paint flew everywhere involuntarily redecorating her kitchen. Lesson learned and shared for all our benefit.

This woman’s husband had passed away many years earlier leaving her a widow. Her mother needing some care came to live with her.

Her mother had worked for many years as a waitress and received a small retirement check each month from the Culinary Union. Each year she had to send in a letter signed and witnessed by a notary public indicating that she was still alive. I guess unions never expect one of their members to live into their 90’s.

After 40 years of waitressing she was very skilled at bussing dishes and carrying eight plates of food to a table with four plates on each arm – a talent few of us appreciate. One night after dinner with her overly protective daughter, she picked up all the dinner dishes and headed to the kitchen sink. Her daughter expressed her concern that her mother was going to drop the dishes.

The mother replied, “That would happen if you were carrying the dishes. I’m a professional.”
This loving mother enjoyed writing letters to people that needed a bit of encouragement. She decorated the envelopes with flower drawings and they were in color.

Realizing that this woman was living on a limited income, I gave her $20 to help with the cost of stamps, envelopes and colored pencils. Her bookkeeping daughter dutifully deposited the money in her mother’s bank account.

The next month she had forgotten about the deposit and was sure the bank had made a mistake on the monthly statement. Down to the bank she went papers in hand, confident the bank was wrong.

After a lengthy visit with a frustrated bank teller, she realized her error. She pointed out to me that my $20 donation had really caused the problem. The lessons we learn in life stay with us and we are never too old to remind our children that we were young once.

These two great ladies have since passed away but their memory lives on in the stories we tell.