It's one minute before quitting time. The phone rings. What do you do?

Technically, you're still on the clock. So you're supposed to answer the phone.

Then again, according to someone else's clock it probably already is quitting time. So just let voice mail get it.

Who the hell, calls at quitting time anyway?!

This is either someone trying to cover their own ass because they didn't call you earlier in the day like they should have.

Or, it is someone who has the ability to fire. Technically you're still on the clock. You damned well better answer the phone or have a really good reason for sneaking out of the building when you should be answering your phone.

So, my phone rang one minute before quitting time today. To answer or not to answer, that was the question.

I answered. It was someone from the big man's office. Like my boss's, boss's, boss. The big man needed something done. Could I please wait around for a couple minutes while they finalize some "language", because it's important that this thing be taken care of this afternoon.

It is now an hour and 12 mintues past the time I should have left. I've had three calls telling me that what I'm waiting for will be to me in about ten minutes. It has been 15 minutes since I had the last one of those calls. I still don't have it.

I may not see my family tonight because I have to be at job two in a couple hours.

What is the lesson I have learned from this?

ALWAYS answer the phone when it rings a minute before quitting time. I cannot imagine the crap I'd have to endure in the morning if I had not picked up the phone at 4:29 this afternoon.

You'll have to pardon me now. I have some more waiting to do. I think I'm probably going to take care of it at shockwave.com.