There's no laughing in Project Management!!!!!

In the midst of what was proving out to be a frustrating day, Poodle hits me on Instant Messenger with the following comment:

"You know how it annoys you when Bossman chews gum like a cow in your ear? I can top it" types Poodle

"I am intrigued - How do you plan to do that?" I counter

" Well we were on the phone and I thought he was doing the dishes or running water or something. Then I got suspicious because it sounded like the water was being directed at porcelain. Then just as I was seriously beginning to suspect what he was really doing, my suspicians were confirmed: I heard the flush of the toilet." I read.

Now, at the time, I was on a conference call with our Network Ops center and a vietnamese provisioner with a language barrier. The two men are going round and round in circles while I had them on mute. I should have been stepping in and sending them to their repective corners when I saw this message flashing on my screen. I quickly muted the phone and burst out laughing. Not a chuckle, not a giggle, side splitting laughter.

This would only happen to Poodle.

Meanwhile my call is going down the toilet ( pardon the pun) so I un-mute and straighten everyone out and hustle then off the phone.

I call Poodle but get his voicemail. Now it occurs to me that this is GRADE A Fodder for a practical joke, so while I am awaiting his voice mail to complete, I head for the bathroom and flush the toilet into his voicemail.

Infantile? Hell yes. And I laughed ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY DESK. That wonderful side splitting laugh that leaves you breathless.

But this team DESPARATELY needed the entertainment value of that joke. I told JD and Gen that I did it but stayed away from Poodle. Ten minutes goes by and he calls me.

"I thought JD left the message" he says when he recovers from laughing

"That is just a sad testament to how bad things are here. When you stop looking at me for the practical jokes, something is VERY WRONG." I countered.

"I have one question..." I ask

"Did you hear running water after that to indicate whether he washed his hands or not?"

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shhhh - the answer was....

(no)

P.S. That was the MOST asked question from my team and outsiders.