Check Yourself Before You Check… Yourself…

I work in the tax department for a municipality. One of my tasks in my job is answering the phones. Often, when nearing the end of a phone call, the caller will ask for my name for their call reference notes.

Me: “The amount due as of Monday is [total].”

Caller: “Thank you. And who do I make the check out to?”

Me: “[My Name].”

Caller: *Pauses* “What?”

Me: “Oh! Not [My Name]! [Town]!”

Caller: “Okay, that sounds better.”

Me: “Definitely not [My Name]! I’m sorry, sometimes people ask for my name at the end of the call. The check can be made out to [Town], not [My Name]!”

Caller: *Laughing* “Okay. Well, thank you, [MY NAME]!”

Me: “Thank you! And have a great day!”

Caller: “You, too, [MY NAME]!”

In the nearly ten years of doing this job, I think that’s the first time I told someone to make their check out to me.