It’s real tough, working in an office and always forgetting the current year. Most people spend the first part of January with this problem, but I get to September and I’m still struggling. Just yesterday I was supposed to sign off on some postage, and I asked the guy if he’d put the date in wrong. He looked at me like I was some kind of dimension-hopping alien and said that nope, it was definitely 2016. 2015 was over half a year ago. Embarrassing!
I sign off on more important stuff too. Like, someone files their last will and testament in Melbourne for safekeeping with our office (in Melbourne), and I have to note when it was received. That sort of thing can really get you in trouble, because some people amend their will constantly. Like, you have a family member giving you grief, the daughter refused to show up for the reunion, a grandson who had his wedding day on a time when you were supposed to be on holiday…all kinds of reasons. Obviously the latest version of the will takes precedence, but it doesn’t really work if it’s been stamped with a wrong date. We don’t deal directly with wills in our office- we’re just paper pushers- so I don’t feel like I really need this extra responsibility.
I’ve never put the wrong date on someone’s last will and testament though, honest. I know how important those things are, and the solicitor would probably come for me in my sleep if I screwed up. What that means is that whenever I have to deal with someone’s will, I ask the person next to me what year it is. The first couple of times they thought I was joking, but I managed to get it out of them anyway. I can’t keep using that excuse. I guess there are executors of will in Melbourne who could do this job far better than I could, anyway…maybe I need to get a job as a calendar salesperson instead.
-Aubrey