WHEN YA GOTTA GO...
This is another "strange but true" tale from my days as a Temporary Placement Counselor.
I had been working with a prestigious medical school in NYC and filling many administrative and clerical positions. My contact phoned me and asked if I could provide a "top-notch" Executive Assistant for their COO. Of course, I told my client I would find a dynamic administrative pro!
After searching through a vast database, I narrowed the field to three potential candidates. All of the candidates had phenomenal computer skills and experience supporting a senior executive. I forwarded the resumes for review and my client chose the one they wanted me to send.
The candidate was a polished gentleman that had over 10 years of experience in the corporate sector as a "right hand" to very demanding people. This person came with terrific references that spoke of his professionalism and dedication.
I prepared my "temp" that he was going to be working in the executive offices and would be highly visible. This meant that his communication, presentation and client service skills had to be at the forefront of his mind. He assured me that he was accustomed to being in Fortune 100 board rooms and that he would represent myself and the COO well!
He went in to the assignment on time, dressed impecably and had a wonderful start to his engagement. However, on day three there was a catastrophic incident that occured and will stay with me for life! My "unbelievably professional" Executive Assistant had been working on a time sensitive project at his desk for nearly two hours. Focused and determined, he shut out the rest of the world to ensure he completed the task at hand. Sure enough, with twenty minutes to spare, he completed the project and presented it, much to the delight of the COO.
What happened next is part of the reason I have no hair! After completing this project, the COO and her peers went into a meeting. The Executive assistant realized that he had not been up from his chair since 8:30am and it was now Noon. He also realized that he had downed three cups of coffee and was about to burst a kidney! Getting that "I must go now" panic attack, he ventured out of the office to find the restroom. Undfortunately, being on the executive floor, the restroom required a key (which he did not have). Not wanting to disturb the COO's meeting, he went to another floor in search of relief. Moving at the speed of light he darted in and out of hallways and corridors, with no sign of a restroom.
Finally, after bouncing up and down three floors, he arrived at a restroom. Unfortunately, this one was locked as well! Now the situation was fast becoming a race to not wet his pants! Flustered and embarrased, he headed out the front doors with the thought of finding someplace to hide, squat, go behind, to finally relieve himself. He ran around the corner of the building and came upon an enclosed courtyard. There was a high fence and no windows for several floors. Without hesitation, my Executive Assistant pulled up a prime piece of wall and proceded to let it flow! Completely exhausted by his ordeal, he returned to his desk. He went about his clerical tasks for about an hour when he received an e-mail from the COO asking him to contact his agency.
That is when I received the call from him and had to explain that his assignment was being ended and he was to pack his things, turn in his ID and vacate the building! You see, I had received a hysterical call about an hour or so previous from the COO herself. She told me that as she was speaking to me, she and the other board members were watching my Executive Assistant treat their "garden" like a public restroom. They suspected he may have been using drugs or did this on purpose to send some sort of message. She wanted this "dispicable" human being out of her sight immediately!
Neither he nor I were given the chance to explain! So my "Golden Boy" turned out to be a "Golden Shower Boy"! I can laugh about it now, but I can assure it was not remotely funny at the time!
I guess "When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!"
"I used to roll up, roll up, I used to roll up, roll up...I used to roll up, this is a hold up ain't nothing funny stop smiling make sure don't nothin move but the money!" - ERIC B & RAKIM
I had been working with a prestigious medical school in NYC and filling many administrative and clerical positions. My contact phoned me and asked if I could provide a "top-notch" Executive Assistant for their COO. Of course, I told my client I would find a dynamic administrative pro!
After searching through a vast database, I narrowed the field to three potential candidates. All of the candidates had phenomenal computer skills and experience supporting a senior executive. I forwarded the resumes for review and my client chose the one they wanted me to send.
The candidate was a polished gentleman that had over 10 years of experience in the corporate sector as a "right hand" to very demanding people. This person came with terrific references that spoke of his professionalism and dedication.
I prepared my "temp" that he was going to be working in the executive offices and would be highly visible. This meant that his communication, presentation and client service skills had to be at the forefront of his mind. He assured me that he was accustomed to being in Fortune 100 board rooms and that he would represent myself and the COO well!
He went in to the assignment on time, dressed impecably and had a wonderful start to his engagement. However, on day three there was a catastrophic incident that occured and will stay with me for life! My "unbelievably professional" Executive Assistant had been working on a time sensitive project at his desk for nearly two hours. Focused and determined, he shut out the rest of the world to ensure he completed the task at hand. Sure enough, with twenty minutes to spare, he completed the project and presented it, much to the delight of the COO.
What happened next is part of the reason I have no hair! After completing this project, the COO and her peers went into a meeting. The Executive assistant realized that he had not been up from his chair since 8:30am and it was now Noon. He also realized that he had downed three cups of coffee and was about to burst a kidney! Getting that "I must go now" panic attack, he ventured out of the office to find the restroom. Undfortunately, being on the executive floor, the restroom required a key (which he did not have). Not wanting to disturb the COO's meeting, he went to another floor in search of relief. Moving at the speed of light he darted in and out of hallways and corridors, with no sign of a restroom.
Finally, after bouncing up and down three floors, he arrived at a restroom. Unfortunately, this one was locked as well! Now the situation was fast becoming a race to not wet his pants! Flustered and embarrased, he headed out the front doors with the thought of finding someplace to hide, squat, go behind, to finally relieve himself. He ran around the corner of the building and came upon an enclosed courtyard. There was a high fence and no windows for several floors. Without hesitation, my Executive Assistant pulled up a prime piece of wall and proceded to let it flow! Completely exhausted by his ordeal, he returned to his desk. He went about his clerical tasks for about an hour when he received an e-mail from the COO asking him to contact his agency.
That is when I received the call from him and had to explain that his assignment was being ended and he was to pack his things, turn in his ID and vacate the building! You see, I had received a hysterical call about an hour or so previous from the COO herself. She told me that as she was speaking to me, she and the other board members were watching my Executive Assistant treat their "garden" like a public restroom. They suspected he may have been using drugs or did this on purpose to send some sort of message. She wanted this "dispicable" human being out of her sight immediately!
Neither he nor I were given the chance to explain! So my "Golden Boy" turned out to be a "Golden Shower Boy"! I can laugh about it now, but I can assure it was not remotely funny at the time!
I guess "When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!"
"I used to roll up, roll up, I used to roll up, roll up...I used to roll up, this is a hold up ain't nothing funny stop smiling make sure don't nothin move but the money!" - ERIC B & RAKIM
