This morning I came in to find another huge pile of folders with tapes. I’ve already done five so far today with another 2-3 to go. However, on one tape Mr. BIL started by saying, “Go ahead and make the changes as outlined on the letter and then we will start a new letter to so-and-so.” So I stopped the tape and proceeded to make the changes to the letter as outlined on the handwritten copy he gave me. When I was done I forgot that the tape had more on it and took it out and began to erase it. The tape was about 1/3 of the way through the magnetic field when I remembered there was more on the tape. I grabbed it and put it into the tapeplayer, hoping I didn’t erase it.
It was not to be. What I had left was 1 second of Mr. BIL’s voice, 2 seconds of silence, 1 second of Mr. BIL’s voice, 2 seconds of silence, and so on and so forth. Fortunately, it was only a four minute tape so it’s not like he went on forever, but still. I had to go into his office and explain what had happened. He had a momentary look of panic on his face when I told him I erased a tape. “Which one?” he asked in concern. “The so-and-so tape.” He relaxed and said, “Oh good, of all the tapes out there that was the best one you could have erased. No problem.”
And I now I know what he was worried about. I just put in one of the last remaining tapes and it’s almost 15 minutes long and has DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS for a project he wants me to do. I bet that’s the tape that he absolutely did NOT want deleted!
