I tried to remember some of the Spanish I was taught.

I guy couldn't speak English all that well. He told me that he had been in the country for a month but then he said that he had been in his country for three months and then he said something about going back.

His son owns a moving company and his son set him in to pull permits. There was a potential problem with one of the permits and normally we will just send then down the hallway to try to figure things out but I was a bit worried that the people down that hallway might not have too much patience for a guy with broken English, so I walked down with him after he had me fill out the business check that his son's company was required to pay. And it was his first time in the place so I figured he could use the escort.

He read out loud the signs that direct people to where we were going. I turned and smiled and nodded to let him know that he was correct.

I liked the guy. It's got to be a little bit tough trying to function in a foreign city and working for you son to boot. The guy seemed to be making a large effort and if folks were to show him a little patience, he could get things done. You could see him learning. Or at least I could.

I stood with him at the desk and explained the issue. While that was being worked on, the head of the division walked out of her office. She didn't look happy. She knows me, she knows my sister, she knew the guy who retired and left me the job, she's been around for awhile and she is feared by most and respected by me.

She looked right at me like she had something to say.

I smiled and said, "Hi, Ann."

"Hey, listen. We've got to do something about people bumping phone calls down to us. It's getting out of hand. We're busy down her too and we can't be handing all of these phone calls. Someone keeps bumping them down here."

"I'll sent the calls down for bonds-"

"No it's not you that's doing it. It's someone else and it has to stop. I know it's not you. You're at least reasonable."

I think I might have cracked a slight grin when she said that I was reasonable. It was rather high praise from her. And I do try to be reasonable.

We have an incompetent person answering the phones and it's a major frustration for those workers who care about doing their jobs well but the bosses refuse to do anything about. They also refuse to properly staff the divisions.

Whatever. My job sucks at times but so what?