10 years ago when Windows was first being introduced into corporate america, a good friend of mine sent an email to most of the folks in the IT department. In that email, he referred to another co-worker by what appeared to be a nickname, "dustpan" which was sort of a play on words of the guys real name. I didn't know "Dustpan" too well, but I got a chuckle out of the whole thing. Dustpan, being the only black guy in the whole IT department didn't think it was too funny. He calls my buddy, who denies all knowledge, so he goes to HR. Within 30 minutes my friend is in a vice-presidents office getting a severe ass-chewing. He comes within a micro-hair of being fired. He tells the guys it must have been an accident. The VP orders a public apology.
My buddy goes back to cube and types out a mass email of apology.
Dear Dustpan,
I am sorry I called you "dustpan". It must have been an accident. I don't know how it happened. Of course I know your name is Dustpan....yadda, yadda, yadda...
He sends it to everbody!
Did I mention that he and I had recently relocated from Florida to a very liberal northeastern city to take these new jobs with this large company? They must have thought we were just a bunch of southern hicks. I guess we were lucky they didn't fire the lot of us.
Of course, it turned out that he had "autocorrect before sending" checked in Outlook and Outlook was changing the guys name to "Dustpan" when he clicked send without asking or confirmation.
Once we figured it all out, we all had a good laugh about it.
Then we never mentioned it again. Ever. Until now.
