Off-Topic

SPEAKING OF TELEPHONES, are these devices still so new and mysterious that wooden adherence to protocol trumps common sense? How many witness the following scenario every damn workday?

R-i-i-i-i-ng.

You: "Shipping Department, Stan Johnson speaking, may I help you?"

Caller: "Hi, Stan, this is Wanda Oglethorpe. Is Charlie there?"

You: "Sure thing. Hang on."

You: "Charlie, it's your wife on Line 2."

Charlie: "Shipping Department, Charlie Oglethorpe speaking, may I help you?"

No, no, no, no, no. You know who it is, Charlie! Do you think it might actually be a spy from Human Resources checking up on your phone-answering etiquette? The correct answer, of course, is:

Charlie: "Hi, honey. What's up?"

And if it had been Harry from the fourth floor, the correct answer would have been:

Charlie: "Hi, Harry. What's up?"

There. I feel better now.