I think I've mentioned that T. Aldous' telephone is perpetually put through to an empty office so that he doesn't have to answer it himself. The rest of us spend our time having to drop whatever it is that we're doing to pick up the call, hunt the damned fool down to tell him that he's got a 'phone call and then kick our heels awhile waiting for him to finish his inevitibly prolonged and tortuous conversation (because he never says: "I'm on someone else's 'phone at the moment; I'll go back to my office and call you back"). Today we have a new twist. Sally took a call, bearded T. Aldous in his lair and came back to her desk. Along comes T. Aldous...
"Why did you pick up this call?"
"Because the 'phone was ringing and somebody needed to pick it up."
"Where's Edie? She should be picking the calls up if nobody's around."
"She's on her lunch."
"Tsk. This really isn't good enough, these things need to be co-ordinated."
"Look, we made sure that somebody was around to pick up your calls. The 'phone went. I picked it up for you. What's the problem?"
"I just don't think it's good enough."
"Councillor Winalot's still on the line. He wanted to speak to you, remember?"
It's amazing how many people have checked with Personnel that their job description doesn't include the phrase: "Personal Assistant to the Chief Librarian."
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