‘I cannot believe the arrogance of them, asking you to change the backorder like that, when they know that this will cause quality issues further down the line. Our rules are very clear.’

‘I know, ’tis shockin’ so it is, so it is.’

‘I hope you didn’t make those  changes they asked you to do>’

‘Of course I didn’t’ – an offended tone in my  voice..

I had made those changes though, and I told a bare-faced lie to postpone the inevitable (and speedy) revelation of the truth.

Like a hot knife through butter, the lie slipped through my lips with absolutely no resistance.

Oh hell on earth – I have a meeting in an hour. I have an hour to try to reverse what I’ve done and cover my tracks in the process.

It is difficult to do that on a computer.

Instead  my strategy must be shocked innocence.

‘Oops – it looks like I did make those changes after all – I think because of the volume of work I am drowning under, I forgot. Let me fix it now.’

A professional to the core.