Monday, January 22, 2007

The Office: Part Four (What's Wrong With Michael???)

One of the best parts of my job at FOX19 was enjoying sweet tickets to the Reds, Bengals, and UC games. There were major restrictions on who could use the tickets, which clients we could offer them to, and how we were to act at the games. All in all, the management sought to take all of the fun out of the experience of having premium tickets, while insuring that they could use the best seats for their own personal enjoyment.

On one occasion I was trying to secure tickets to a UC Basketball game for my largest client who was looking to spend a large chunk of change on the station. The protocol for signing up for the tickets was this: first, see if the tickets were still available. Second, ask Michael if you could use the tickets, and get approval for which client. Third, email the JLo, the big cheese, and ask if you could use the tickets. Fourth, let Michael know if you got permission to use the tickets. Fifth, sign the book and secure the tickets.

During step two, I went into Michael's office and asked, "hey, can I take client X to the UC Game on March 10th?" In typical Michael fashion, he did not look up from his computer screen, there was a long pause.

"What?" he says. Like many times when you tried to talk to him, I had to repeat myself.

"Can I take client X to the UC Game on March 10th?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever ... email JLo."

I go back to my desk and craft an e-mail to JLo, and copy Michael. I hit send. 45 seconds later a thunderous bellow rattles through the office from Michael's space.

"OH, OH, this is TERRIBLE, WHAT is THIS???!!!!???? OH NO, HORRIBLE!!!! AWWWWW!!!! Geeze, oh my G*D! WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON?????"

Thinking that the building was on fire, or that the company was folding, or that we had lost a 2 million dollar account, or that Michael was dying, five of us run to Michael's door. He continues to scream and yell at his computer screen. We are all worried, until I start to giggle. I put together what has happened in my mind, and wait for the comedy to hit the air.

Finally, Michael screams, "WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR SECURING UC TICKETS????"

One of my co-workers innocently and roboticaly repeats steps one through five which had been pounded into our brains at every opportunity.

"Rachel, why did you send an e-mail to JLo?"

"Ummmm ... because you just told me to."

"Does that make it right? You HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS!!!"




Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight .... whatever dysfunction junction.

5 comments:

amo said...

fantastic. So, did he forget that he told you 45 seconds earlier, or is he just annoyed at the process? I didn't get his last line. What a weirdo.

I love how the big cheese is JLo.

Anonymous said...

I remember this day like it was yesterday...

Classic!

Rachel said...

I'm pretty sure that he is so crazy that he didn't remember our conversation. We got in trouble a lot from doing exactly what he told us to do.

Jenn said...

thanks for these quality posts!!

Anonymous said...

I remember so clearly that voice coming through the wall of my office. I thought something interesting had gone wrong!

Good times.

Nancy