So many phones

So, she starts walking around with a scrap of paper in her hand. She started at the first cube in my row (or column if cubes were spreadsheet cells) and asks about the phone lines. In the section I’m in there is one line that rings on all the desks and then there are direct “private” lines, no one has more than two lines, and if someone’s private line is ringing there’s a button that can be pressed at any other deck to pick up that line. All the lines are necessary.

“What’s that line for?” She asked the newest member of my section. I know he might not give the proper answers so I start shouting out the correct answers, and I’m a little pissed that she’s asking any questions about phone lines in my section. I pick up my phone and my supervisor picks up his and we both are pretty quick to pick up the common line. Bottom line: we pick up our phones. She on the other hand doesn’t. She’ll be chopping down on some vile bit of food while the phone rings and rings. She’ll be on one line, chatting with one of her aged friends, while other lines ring and ring.

It’s her job to answer the phones.

She’ll walk around the office, talk to other people and all sorts of other things, except answer the phone. She’s a horrible receptionist and not a very good person.

When she got to my desk with her questions, I wasn’t happy.

“So, what’s that number?” She asked as she pointed to a button on my phone.

I told her the number and then added “But that line stays. They both stay.”

“I was just asked to find out the dead lines.” She said, which was a total line of bullshit.

She retreated back to her desk where the phone was ringing, not that she cared.

We have a guy that normally goes around asking things about phones and copiers and computers and lights and whatever. If there is a problem with things in the office, such as phone lines, that guy is the one that handles it and she ain’t that guy.