Same Page

It's been a long couple of days, and I am viciously tired enough to actually sound tired at work.

Me: *answering phone* Hi.

Dotted-line Boss: ...hi. Did you talk to Joe about the nominations he'd like for the leadership course?

Me: Um?

Dotted-line Boss: I cc'd you on the email. It was due yesterday.

Me: Let me look it up--it doesn't sound familiar.

Dotted-line Boss: I cc'd you on the email... Joe didn't talk to you about any of it?

Me: Nope. I'm looking at the email right now.

Dotted-line Boss: I'll forward it to you.

Me: Well, I'm looking at it--

Dotted-line Boss: Just sent it.

Me: Okay... *staring at the email and looking through to find nothing of interest--it looks like junk mail, and a 3-day course on developing leadership, which the company is very insistent upon, but I rarely ever pay attention to as I consider them time wasters*

Dotted-line Boss: Did you get it?

Me: Yes, I'm looking at it. Joe hasn't said anything, and I'm not seeing emails that he could have sent to Therace about it.

Dotted-line Boss: Could you get it to me by the end of morning? I mean, they were due yesterday, and we need the names asap.

Me: Sure--I'll send him an email--

Dotted-line Boss: And make sure the names are in order of prioritization.

Me: I'll let him know.

I triple check the emails while my boss finishes up the call he is on, thinking, How is this considered important? This is where I don't get the company I work for. Emphasis on things that we force people to do when there are obviously other things we could be focusing on. Like work. A special and rare workshop I get, but these happen four times a year.

My boss comes out of his office to leave for his next meeting.

Me: Hey, did you get the email I forwarded to you?

Boss: No, what's up?

Me: There's a leadership development course that needs to have candidates, and the names need to be sent over. Apparently, they were due yesterday.

Boss: *stares at me*

Me: And Jenny called because she needs the names before the morning ends.

Boss: *stares at me*

Me: It was sent last Friday. *brings email up so he can look it in my computer* They need the names you refer in a list of prioritization, of who you think should be able to go first. It's for a course on leadership? *scroll through the email* To nominate team members to know things about...leadership?

Boss: Yeah, I know. I just don't care about that shit, so I always ignore it. I don't have anyone to tell them.

Me: Get me someone before noon?

Boss: *sighs* Yeah, I'll get someone... *walks away, muttering* ...waste of time...

And that is why my boss and I get along so well.