< by Sandy, Jill‘s mom >

I had been working for the largest law firm in Minnesota for about 10 years and had become somewhat of an expert on all things office.

My boss would often tell the new associates who were working with him (who were nearly always men) to ask me if they had any questions regarding navigating their new environment. The most annoying associates would always introduce themselves as, “Hi, I’m – – – and I graduated from Harvard” and we secretaries would always think, Well, la de da Mister Man, aren’t YOU special!

It was one of those Harvard men who was standing behind me at the Xerox machine one day when he said, “Aren’t you Gladys Friday?” I turned around and said “No.” He pressed on — “You’re not Gladys Friday?” he asked, and to which I again replied, “No, you must have me confused with someone else.”

He didn’t ask again.

I xeroxed my papers and went back to my cubicle. When I got there, I asked my co-worker Mary Fran if she knew someone new named Gladys Friday and went on to tell her about Harvard man. She just looked at me incredulous and said, “YOU’RE SO DUMB!!! He was asking, ‘Aren’t you glad it’s Friday?'”

I’m really not dumb, but I am a natural blonde.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)