HOW TO ‘JUST FORGET IT’

 

• — Mary A. LaClair

358 words

When the boss, who was over my boss, called me into his office I was curious but not fearful.  I had done nothing wrong and I knew how to stand up to something wrong should it be suggested.

“I’m looking at how you reconciled this accounting, and I really think it is right, but I’m not understanding how you arrived at it.”

I was better at math than most my age. My first job out of business school was in an accounts payable division of a local manufacturing plant. When a wholesaler made a payment on their account it was my job to reconcile it to invoices and figure interest on any late payments over thirty days.

This particular account was a rather large wholesaler. Reconciling this particular account could be intimidating. Having done it, I remembered for months how it was done, so that I could explain it if questioned.  Months went by, and hearing nothing, had decided it was understood.

When called into his office at that time, this was the matter which was brought up.

“You know, sir, I remembered that solution for quite awhile because I thought it might be questioned, and when it wasn’t brought up, I figured it was understood by the higher ups, and I just decided to forget it.”

“You ‘just decided’ to forget it?”

“Yes, sir.”

As I sat there quietly, he was contemplative and silent for what seemed a few minutes. 

“Tell me, how is it possible for one to make a decision to “just forget”?

“….by not rehearsing it in your mind…” , I said.   And that is what I had done. I had rehearsed that solution to the math problem in my mind to keep it alive for an explanation, when necessary.

“Hmmm, ….just forget by not rehearsing it in your mind…???!”

“Yes.”

Silence.

“You are free to go. And,…by the way, …thank you!”. And then more quietly, more to himself as I left, “Yes, thank you.”

I had the distinct feeling that he was mentally applying that to something other than reconciling an accounts payable account.

 

 

— end —

P.S. I was almost sorry I didn’t get the chance to show my math skills. But I don’t bemoan the fact. I ‘just forget it’ …by “not rehearsing it in my mind,”   …and trusting God to turn it to  good.