Remember that? The simple form was you called someone from the other end of the house or something–the farther they were and the more they had to go through to answer, the better–and when they did answer, the practicioner would yell, “Psych!”
It was a brief fad, as most of the practitioners were quickly strangled.
Strangling was too good for them. Yesterday when I left work, I believed I would be working through June 15th. I was happy with that, I need the time to get everything done. Today when I came in, my office manager informed me the district had changed their minds, today was the last day we would be paid.
Yesterday the teachers put the grades in the computer, today we were supposed to print out 800+ report cards twice, stuff them into envelopes and get labels on them and get them counted out for a mass mailing, then take the other 800+ and file them, then get the 250+ 8th grade files packed off each to its appropriate high school, make 1000 registration packets and get them stuffed into stamped envelopes that will then need address labels and counting for mass mailing…
Three people? Not happening. Sixteen people MIGHT have gotten that done.
Did we work frantically, pour the speed on and miraculously get it done and win an award from the district? Hell no. We each picked out what we thought was most important of the stuff that has been piling up all year waiting for us to get to it, and did that. I caught up my state reporting. The office manager got time-sheets in order, so that everyone got paid properly and the few people who aren’t already leaving didn’t decide to go. The office clerk got suspensions caught up, as those things have deadlines attached, and Mr. Annoying Administrator (on the last day of school, the PRINCIPAL offered $20 to anyone who could get his radio from him, he’s that annoying. And at lunch, he got caught in the middle of the biggest spontaneous food-fight ever to erupt in our hallowed cafeteria) Anyway, Mr. AA suspended half the damned 8th grade in the last week of school. We think he didn’t want Promotion to last too long.
So after I informed everyone affected by the date of my last day of work–the friend who sits Hope, and Bly, not a long list but some very important people on it–my principal called me into her office and told me she has talked the district into nine more days.
Guess she didn’t want to do the report cards and registration packets and files herself.
Psych!