Bankers, Politicians and Mad Cows

Today was full of some rather interesting developments at work. This morning I sent an e-mail to those board members who sign on our business account, to advise them of my conversation with the banks and the Social Security Number issue.  This afternoon I had two of the four board members contact me to let me know my e-mail prompted them into action.  They are using their connections to the lawmakers in Washington, DC to express their concern about language in The Patriot Act and the SSN issue.  Both also contacted the higher ups at local banks, and gave me the skinny on what the "front line" people are told to say and do in regards to the SSN situation.  This could get interesting...stay tuned.  Working for elected officials and politicians does have some benefits.

On a lighter note, you know I work with numbers all day.  And accountants have been known to occasionally transpose numbers (like when 1234 becomes 1324, etc).  Accountants do this...but not me.  Nope...I rarely transpose numbers...I transpose letters...when I'm talking.  Take today for example.  I'm on the telephone with John, the Board President (one of the above mentioned signers) and he has just told me about his conversations.

"Good," I say, "that ought to cattle some rages."

As I realize what I have just said, John is on the other end cracking up.  And I have to laugh too, I mean, if you can't laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at?

"Someone's going to be raging," John laughs, "but I don't think it will be cattle."

How did mad cows get into this conversation?  Cuz I opened the door and let them in.  Needless to say, John knew what I meant...he's known me for several years and this is not the first time...probably not the last either...that I have transposed letters.  I just pray I never do it at a really critical time, in front of an important audience.  The possibilities are endless and the outcome could be very embarrassing.