How I Got My Lunch For Free
This happened a while back but it’s still the best thing that ever happened to me at work. True story. So, I was hired by a big defense company with over 3,500 employees. You can imagine this was a very big company. We were in building 34, and if you needed to go somewhere quick you took a bike or an electric car.
I usually did second line support, but they had a couple of people call in sick and asked me to do first line support. It was a Friday and not much was happening besides the usual email problems. The phone rings.
Her: Yes hello, this the secretary of the CEO. We need you to come over NOW! We have a big problem.
Me: What seems to be wrong?
Her: The CEO is trying to open a file in Word, but every time he does this, scrambled text is showing up. I THINK WE ARE BEING HACKED!
To be fair, this was a big issue, since a couple of weeks before this a group of activists broke into the company and climbed on top of our radar tower.
Me: I’ll take a look from here and take over your screen. Hang on.
I take over his screen this is what happens: File, open: JKAHSFHJKHJHJJJJJJFJJJJJSAKKKALALLLALLALLALALLAL*UUU**JJJDKJKJASLKLKSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Her: I don’t know what this is. You see?!? This is so weird…
Now, I knew what was wrong at this moment, but I wanted to see in person. You don’t just walk into the exec office every day.
Me: Uh-huh. I’ll be there as soon as possible!
I grab this electric car, drive over, and five minutes later I walk into the executive building. A very nice building, totally different from the rest of the offices. They even had their own dining room and bar. The security guy sees me coming and waves me through. He was informed of my coming and understood the importance.
I get out of the elevator at the top floor and am greeted by the secretary, a manager, and some other assistant. They are all a bit panicked.
“Come over, have a look at this”! the CEO says.
He shows me: File, open: JKAHSFHJKHJHJJJJJJFJJJJJSAKKKALALLLALLALLALALLAL*UUU**JJJDKJKJASLKLKSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I look at him. I look at every single person in that room. You could feel the suspense. I look back at the computer. I pick up the newspaper that was on top of the keyboard and ask:
Try again please? The looks on their face: Priceless. I also got a free lunch with the CEO.