“Receiving, do you copy?” The voice of my supervisor, the
Materials Manager squawked in the radio unit I wore clipped to my fluorescent,
safety vest.
“This is receiving, go ahead.”
“I need you to go upstairs to the office and speak to Account Supervisor June. She has a question for you.”
“Ten-four,” I replied. “I’m on my way.” I trekked across the factory floor, avoiding moving forklifts, and cranes, and then bounded up the flight of stairs that took me to the air-conditioned office area. The air in the office was cool and odorless – at least compared to the air in the factory which was hot and fetid, smelling of paint fumes and steel dust.
“The computer says that we have received four Recyclon Max12 units. Where are they?” June said in lieu of a personable greeting. And though it may be a non-standard punctuation mark, her question definitely needed an interrobang; it was part question, part accusation.
“I’m pretty sure we haven’t received any Recyclon units, at least not in the last few months. Those are pretty big units; I’m sure I’d remember seeing them if any had come in.”
June just stared at me, waiting for me to respond. Daring me to respond.“When does the computer say that we received these Recyclon units?” I asked.
She clacked away on her keyboard. “It says they were delivered on October fourteenth.”
I checked the calendar hanging on the wall to confirm what I already knew. “Read that back to me one more time,” I said.
“It says,” June harrumphed, “that they were delivered on October fourteenth.”
“One more time, please,” I said gently. June glowered.
“October” she said, punctuating each successive syllable, “fourteenth…” Then she paused. The realization came slowly. “Oh… Today is only September 27th.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Unless they’ve shipped them via Tachyon Delivery Systems, they’re not here yet.”
***
“Tachyon Delivery Systems: We get it there yesterday.”
“This is receiving, go ahead.”
“I need you to go upstairs to the office and speak to Account Supervisor June. She has a question for you.”
“Ten-four,” I replied. “I’m on my way.” I trekked across the factory floor, avoiding moving forklifts, and cranes, and then bounded up the flight of stairs that took me to the air-conditioned office area. The air in the office was cool and odorless – at least compared to the air in the factory which was hot and fetid, smelling of paint fumes and steel dust.
“The computer says that we have received four Recyclon Max12 units. Where are they?” June said in lieu of a personable greeting. And though it may be a non-standard punctuation mark, her question definitely needed an interrobang; it was part question, part accusation.
“I’m pretty sure we haven’t received any Recyclon units, at least not in the last few months. Those are pretty big units; I’m sure I’d remember seeing them if any had come in.”
June just stared at me, waiting for me to respond. Daring me to respond.“When does the computer say that we received these Recyclon units?” I asked.
She clacked away on her keyboard. “It says they were delivered on October fourteenth.”
I checked the calendar hanging on the wall to confirm what I already knew. “Read that back to me one more time,” I said.
“It says,” June harrumphed, “that they were delivered on October fourteenth.”
“One more time, please,” I said gently. June glowered.
“October” she said, punctuating each successive syllable, “fourteenth…” Then she paused. The realization came slowly. “Oh… Today is only September 27th.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Unless they’ve shipped them via Tachyon Delivery Systems, they’re not here yet.”
***
“Tachyon Delivery Systems: We get it there yesterday.”
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