Bosses and Underlings

Employee: It seems like there are a lot of new people working here.
Boss: Yes, sometimes I’ll be leaving the building and will say to someone, “I don’t know you,” and they will say, “I work for you.”

Elevator, 215 Michigan
Chicago, Illinois

Owner: What kinds of social situations can you use to help market our firm?
Peon #1: I meet lots of guys at the bars and give them my cards — especially those in the construction fields.
Peon #2, as others laugh: He didn’t ask how you picked up men.
Peon #3: Is that why we never get any new projects?

Lincolnshire, Illinois

Overheard by: glad it wasn’t me

CEO to new sales rep: Use your judgment when it comes to payment schedules. If they sound like good people — you know, like normal Americans on the phone — we’ll bill them. But Ay-rabs and Orientals pay COD. You have to watch those bastards, ’cause they’ll all fuck you.

1190 North Del Rio Place
Ontario, California

Overheard by: Really glad I gave notice yesterday

Supervisor: Go to your computer and pull up the client file you showed me earlier, the one that was wrong. I need to show it to the IT people.
Worker: I can’t because I deleted it.
Supervisor: Why did you delete it?
Worker: Because you told me to.
Supervisor: Don’t do what I tell you! Do what I say.

Franklin Square
Springfield, Illinois

Group Manager: Just to let you know, your boss went to go get his AIDS shot for his travel to India.
Co-worker: What I don’t understand is, why don’t we all get the AIDS shot?
Group Manager: Um, that was a joke.

440 9th Avenue
New York, NY

Overheard by: John Leffler

Boss to office: It's like being on Wheel of Fortune without having to buy a vowel.

Chicago, Illinois

Male boss: I want you to know that was awesomely wicked!
Female worker, just exiting ladies’ room: You can hear what people do in there?
Male boss: No! No… I meant, that e-mail you sent last week.

Kitchener, Ontario
Canadia

Overheard by: Notdaboss

Team leader: Tomorrow we're having sexual harassment training. (laughs) Jane, you can't touch Sophie.
Male coworker: They can touch me!

Melbourne, Florida

Boss: Do you know where the gigabytes are? I need some more for my computer.
Employee #1: What are you talking about?
Boss: Are they in the closet?

He goes looking in the closet for about five minutes.

Boss: Seriously, do you know where more gigabytes are?
Employee #2: Maybe they’re in your pants.

N59W14909 Bobolink Avenue
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Overheard by: LeeAnn Michaud

Boss: This project is pretty ugly, so I’m giving it to you.
Employee: Aw, I didn’t get you anything.

60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts