Forward All
A/N: This one is dedicated to Teresa S. Only Teresa, Anne Marie, and
Jennifer know why. For my sake, let's keep it that way, okay ladies?
Donna got back from her doctor appointment and found nobody crying,
nothing on fire, and Joshua sitting quietly at his desk. It was always a
crap shoot when she was out of the office and she never knew what
she'd come back to or how many apology baskets she'd have to
send out.
"Hey!" She called out from the doorway. "You must have been
a good boy while I was gone."
"Donna, it is a complete and utter fallacy that I can't function
without you in this office. I'll have you know I got quite a lot
accomplished while you were out gallivanting around." He said
proudly.
"Good for you." She said in a placating tone that Josh
immediately picked up on.
"I did!" he insisted.
"Like what?" she asked pointedly and crossed her arms waiting
for a response.
"I filed a couple things I was done with." He began.
"NO! You did NOT touch my filing cabinets!" Donna stood straight
up in alarm.
"Just a couple files." Josh reassured her. "I also answered
my own phone and replied to emails."
"Emails? Josh what is our rule about emails?" She asked him.
"I am the Deputy Chief of Staff, Donna. I can answer emails all by
myself." He reminds her.
"Personal ones, sure; I don't care who you offend in your
personal life, but the professional ones I take care of. That was our
deal."
"There were just a couple. I handled them fine." Josh countered.
Donna was at his computer in an instant. She began to pull up his
emails. "Who were they from?"
"One from Matt Skinner, one from the Secretary of commerce, and one
from that nutjob at State…Arnold Dressin."
"What?!" Donna shrieked.
"You know that whack job at State who keeps sending everyone ideas
and reminders about all sorts of things we don't need ideas and
reminders about. Don't worry. I didn't respond, I just forwarded
it to Sam. He handles him much better than I do."
"That would have probably been okay but for two things." Donna
shook her head sadly.
"What two things?" Josh asked.
"For one, it's Arnold MOORE who is the nut job over at State.
Arnold Dressin is the new state party chair in Michigan that you're
supposed to be sweet talking into putting more money into the
primary."
"Shit." Josh muttered.
"Yeah, shit." Donna agreed.
"But wait! It doesn't matter because I just forwarded it over to
Sam."
"Yeah, there's the second thing. You didn't just forward it
to Sam. You hit `forward all' so Sam, Arnold, and the rest of
the Democratic party in Florida that was CC'd on that message all
got your forwarded note to Sam…Tell me, Josh. Do you recall what you
wrote in your forwarded message?"
"Not precisely…was it bad?" He asked with his high squeaky
voice.
"Hmmm…Sam," Donna read aloud. "Will you please do me a
huge favor and take this off my plate? I'm tired of dealing with
this nut job and if I ever hear from him again it will be too soon. Deal
with him for me, will you?"
"Damn." Josh said simply. "Can you stop it? Can you get it
back? DO something Donna!"
"It's too late." Donna shook her head again.
"How can it be too late? I just sent the damn thing a couple minutes
ago."
"Apparently Mr. Dressin was at his computer because you've
already got a reply from him. " Donna got up from his computer.
"Tell me again about this fallacy that's been perpetrated on
you?" She sauntered back to her desk and Josh sat down to read the
reply.
"Mr. Lyman, I assure you that I am not any kind of nut job. I have
worked hard to get to this position and have the respect of people on
both sides of the aisle in Michigan. Frankly, if this is your attitude,
good luck getting any electoral votes in my state. I have never been so
insulted, and for you to CC all the Democratic members here goes beyond
the pale. Trust that you will never be bothered by this nut job
again!" Josh read out loud. "Holy. Shit. I am so completely
screwed."
"DOOOONNNNAAA!" he bellowed.
"Who answers all professional emails from now on?" she called
back to him.
"You and only you!" He promised.
"Arnold Dressin on line two. You better start `splainin."
Donna replied.
"Mr. Dressin? Please, sir, before you rip me to shreds, give me a
chance to explain. I completely mistook you for another Arnold that
frequently- never mind. I made a mistake thinking you were someone
else….Yes, sir, it was completely inappropriate…I can't
apologize enough…"
Donna looked on from the doorway and started calculating which apology
basket she could send. As she listened further she decided she
couldn't go wrong by sending all of them.
The End.