Years and years ago, my sister and her husband went to buy a new car. They live in a very small town, so normally everyone would know who they are.
My brother-in-law, like my mother, has never gone by his first name. It just sounds weird when someone calls them by their first names and we never really think about it.
We still laugh about the time when they were looking at the cars and the salesguy didn't know them. He sees the name William on something and starts saying, "Bill, blah blah blah."
My brother-in-law was trying to explain to the guy he went by Leroy, his middle name, but it didn't come out right. Instead he said, "Don't call me Bill." The guy thought he should then call him by Mr. Surname.
So we still laugh about "Don't call me Bill". Leroy meant only to explain to the guy what to call him.
And I was only reminded of this story tonight when I read that some Congressional Staffer went Psycho crazy because some lobbyist was trying to set up a meeting and called her "Liz" and not "Elizabeth".
The poor lobbyist apologized SIX times, but Psycho Liz would not let it go.
And I'm pretty certain I have worked with Psycho Liz. However I was never as nice as the guy that tried to apologize. I remember working with a Psycho Liz at Bank One years ago. I could not for the life of me understand why she would get psycho over normal conversation and remember the morning that she "had to go home" because, although we knew we were going to be moving offices for weeks, no one had told her that it would be THAT DAY. She was so upset she left the office. I swear, it has to be the same crazy woman. Especially since the lobbyist was from JP Morgan Chase, who bought out Bank One. It's HER. I swear it's HER, she's out to get her revenge because Bank One made her move her office one morning.
You've worked with a Psycho Liz, haven't you? We all have.
Below is the hilarious exchange of emails:
From: XXX Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 11:38 AM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: JPMC Meeting Request Elizabeth,
Attached is a meeting request for JP Morgan Chase who will be in DC June 3rd-4th and would like to request a brief meeting with the Congressman. Let me know if you need any additional information. Thank you! Best, XXX
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:05 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Liz, just checking in on whether the Congressman is available next week. [REDACTED] can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at [REDACTED]. Thank you! Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High
Who is Liz?
Elizabeth Becton Executive Assistant/Office Manager Office of Congressman Jim McDermott XXXX Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, I thought you went by Liz - apologies if that is incorrect. Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:08 PM
To: XXX Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
I do not go by Liz. Where did you get your information?
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:10 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth,
I'm so sorry if I offended you! I thought you had gone by Liz at Potlatch, this was my mistake. Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:11 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
NEVER. I hate that name.
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:13 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry if I offended you! I must have mis-heard. My mistake! Best, XX
From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:20 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High
XXX: If I wanted you to call me by any other name, I would have offered that to you. I think it's rude when people don't even ask permission and take all sorts of liberties with your name. This is a real sore spot with me. My name has a lot of "nicknames" which I don't use. I use either my first name or my last name because I row with a lot of other women who share the same first name. Now, please do not ever call me by a nickname again. As for your meeting request, who is the point of contact for this meeting? If it's not you, then I need to know who because it's very time-consuming to deal with a lot of people for one meeting. Thanks,
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:23 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry I offended you! My mistake! XXX can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at XXX XXXX. Thank you! Best, XXX
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:33 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Of course! Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I must have mis-heard and it was in no way my intention to make you upset. I always enjoy working with you and seeing you at the WSS events J Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:37 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Sounds like you got played by someone who KNOWS I hate that name and that it's a fast way to TICK me off. Who told you that I go by that name? They are not your friend...
From: XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:38 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth, Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't want to cause trouble as I clearly must have mis-heard the person at Potlatch. It was in no way my intention to make you upset. Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:41 PM
To: XXX Subject:
RE: JPMC Meeting Request Importance: High
I REALLY want to know who told you to call me that.
From:XXX Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:44 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Hi Elizabeth,
Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't recall who I overheard. It was in no way my intention to make you upset. Best, XXX
From: Becton, Elizabeth Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 6:04 PM To: XXX Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Let me put it this way, they don't know me and perhaps they were PRETENDING to know me better than they do and pretended that I go by Liz. They did YOU a disservice. In the future, you should be VERY careful about such things. People like to brag about their connections in DC. It's a past time for some. It's also dangerous to eaves drop, as you have just found out. Quit apologizing and never call me anything but Elizabeth again. Also, make sure you correct anyone who attempts to call me by any other name but Elizabeth. Are we clear on this? Like I said, it's a hot button for me. And please don't call the office and not leave a message. My colleague told me you called while I was away at the Ladies' room. I do sometimes leave my desk.
And if you think that's funny, you should read the comments left on the blogs. OMG. Liz will have to go in hiding now. Maybe she'll hide in the Ladies Room.
Life Lesson: Sometimes it's best just to say, "Don't call me Bill" and go on with your life.
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5 comments:
The people presently in charge of our government are petty despots.
Similar to the email exchange in your post, I'm sure we've all seen the exchange between Senator Boxer and BG Walsh...
She wanted to be addressed as "Senator". In his mind and under his breath I'm sure he addressed her with another term, as did I.
Any chance she's still going through "the change"?
I've got a good name to call her, and I bet she would hate it even more than she hates being called "Liz".
...and GB, what do you mean by "going through 'the change'"???? How dare you belittle womanhood by blaming everything on PMS or "the change"! Who told you it was "the change"??? I demand to know who it was. I bet my sister put you up to it because she knew it would upset me. She's not your friend! You think you men don't go through your own form of men-o-pause? Well, they do--right before they go out and have a hair transplant so they won't lose their toupees zipping around town in their new red convertables with their new on-the-side girlfriends who are half their age!!!
...hey, that was kinda fun! No wonder Liz kept it going.
With 'tongue in cheek',
Helen (don't call me Hitler)
Boxer is a lunatic! To see her make an ass out of herself in front of a highly decorated General was laughable. I got a few names for her too GB. not printable on here though.
Cissy: Oh, I was going there once I read your response. GB: I don't think we've told this story before, but C&C and I and probably Mike too used to snap our heels together and salute, "Heil Helen", especially when she would try to boss us around, which was my entire childhood.
Nicknames were used more in my family than our regular names. I've had so many and even now Bob changes what he calls me every few years. (Careful now, don't GO there).
Helen was Heidi. I didn't realize how often my mother called me Ann until one weekend we spent with a real Ann and we both kept answering to Ann.
We had an Uncle who had nicknames for everyone.
So it's even doubly hard to imagine someone gets so bent out of shape when someone shortens their name. I actually find it quite endearing when someone gives me a new nickname.
Leroy has been ReeRah and Roy for years, but he's just never been a Bill.
Brian is Beej, Michele is Shell Bell, Carrie is Care Bear, Christen is Cricket, Nicole is Coley, Mark is Markie or Little Mark and on and on and on.
But Liz has serious issues.
As to Boxer, I have no doubt she thought her remarks would embarrass the general, but instead, she just embarrassed herself. I suppose she's used to it.
Thanks Mom and Dad for making sure you never gave into me being hypersensitive about stupid things.
Boxer-
I suppose her constituents thought she was a hero by trying to bring the General down a peg...
Her folks are the ones trying to outlaw recruiting in the area around San Fran. Therefore I suppose there is little chance she'll have re-election problems. What a shame.
I once had a Doctor of Psychology tell me to address her as "Doctor ******". I responded that since her Doctorate was a P.H.D. I would, in the future, call her "Fud", and asked her to refer to me as "Major Greybeard".
I never got the chance to call her ANYTHING after that encounter...
She avoided me like the plague.
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