“Stupid should hurt”

The title is a tweet I received this morning from Terry (twitter name shortstack81) that made me chuckle all morning. No kidding Terry! I so GET the emotion behind that quote. Especially this past three months at work while covering the vacated job I dealt with all manner of stupid. And it *did* hurt – it hurt ME! Grandy blogged a bit about this today too which prompted me to leave a comment there about someone I encountered who had me truly flabbergasted. I decided the full conversation was worthy of a post 🙂

Disclaimer: I am not so full of myself that I do not know, for a fact, that I have been stupid myself. In fact, see yesterdays post!! As often as I mutter under my breath about somebody at the store, or on the road, or whatever, I try to follow it up with…”and I am sure you irritated someone else in just the same way before.” Because, you know, as hard as it is for an only child to digest, the world does NOT (dammit) revolve around me (huge disappointment). However, I think I can declare with some confidence that I have not ever pulled anything quite like this. This is over email – so we are talking basic reading comprehension skills – with a freaking master teacher who teaches our kids AND mentors new teachers – aaaaack!! Ok, so another disclaimer: Yes, I know that this guy is not representative of all teachers. In fact, it blew me away because all of the teachers who have taught my boys have pretty damn sharp. But, I digress. enough disclaimers! It is what it is!

(Names are changed to protect the guilty)

IP (illiterate professor as I ended up thinking of him): I need you to help me get my paycheck. Steve (payroll manager) referred me to you because he had not received anything on my intern observations. Do you have anything in the que?

Me: I’m sorry, but no, I don’t have anything for you. When did you turn it in?

IP: So, what so I do?! I need to get paid!!

Me: When did you turn it in?

IP: I don’t know – months ago.

Me: Ok, then you need to talk to the person you gave it to, you are here in San Diego so that was probably Joan, correct? If so, please call her, perhaps she has copies.

IP: So I should contact payroll?

Me: No, you should contact Joan. I don’t have anything, therefore payroll does not have anything.

IP: Ok, I’ll contact Steve.

Me: I don’t think that will do any good. You need to call Joan.

IP: You are the only one who can help me! Please tell me what to do to get paid!

Me: CALL JOAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IP: So, I should call Steve?

AAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!