So...on Monday, in anticipation of the boss chewing me out for the Skee incident and for my 'habit' of working on 'non-priority items'
I head to the boss' house, ultimately to get some prizes for some machines we just ordered, but also to get the chewing over with. I drove the company van.
After his schpiel, he told me *exactly* what he wanted me to do with the prizes. And as he'd JUST chewed me for "only retaining perhaps 80% of what I'm told" I paid particular attention to what he was telling me.
Now, once upon a time our company had three buildings at our facility. They all call them first building (the office) second building (the pinball building) and the third building (the shop, and where the games are kept).
Some time ago the owner made an agreement with boss to have him give up the second building so a machine shop could take it's place.
But the designation has stood; first building and third building.
Since the machines were brand new, we wanted to run them, so the prizes needed to be loaded. Boss showed me which boxes he wanted me to bring to the third building (and I marked them with an astrisk right in front of him), and then he said:
"you may as well leave the rest here,
so the first building doesn't get cluttered."
Now, I've never called them first or third building; always the office and the shop. So I know I wasn't imagining this.
I clarify: "here?" (pointing to the van).
Him: "yeah."
I do as he asks.
Yesterday, Mumbles and Cool Guy have to run to town to fix a jukebox, so they snag the van. When they get back:
Mumbles: "Hey Peale, what's with the prizes in the van?"
Me: "Well, for whatever reason, boss wanted to keep them there."
Mumbles: "He did?"
Me: "His exact words were 'leave them here so the first building doesn't get cluttered.'"
Few hours later, I hear from Cool Guy that boss exclaims that he would have NEVER said that. That I had misunderstood, and he wanted the prizes in the third building for testing, and the rest in the first.
So now I *really* look like I don't listen. I just can't win.