Doesn’t Quite Get I.T.

(The assistant manager at work is known for micromanaging. During my annual leave we get new computers, printers, operating systems, phones, etc.; however, the phone lines are accidentally cut by the phone company. We have temporary phones that can receive calls but can’t transfer or call out; we also have no Internet. On my first day back, I think I’ve solved a problem that the staff on a different floor has with the new operating system. I tell the assistant manager, who asks me to call IT to let them know. I am a bit confused about why I would be the one to call from a different floor to let IT know about a problem that we no longer have, and then quickly realise I couldn’t call out anyway so didn’t worry about it. I couldn’t tell them anything about how long we had the problem or which staff had spoken to whom; I’d literally be calling to tell them that once upon a time there was a problem but now there isn’t. The problem was solved and I have lots of other important work to catch up on, having been away. The following week, the assistant manager calls me into his office:)

Assistant Manager: “Why didn’t you call IT last week?”

Me: “We had no phones.”

Assistant Manager: “Oh, is that why? I was very disappointed when I realized you hadn’t done it. I told [Regional Manager] and he called them himself.”

Me: “Well, did you let [Regional Manager] know that I couldn’t do it because we had no phones?”

Assistant Manager: “No, but it’s okay. Next time just communicate better.”

Me: “With what? WE HAD NO PHONES!”