If the FBI want me, they know where to find me

Timeline:

I receive notice from my director at work about fingerprint background check on January 17th that I am due to have one by May 6th. We are required to get one every five years.

I place a reminder in my phone for May 1st and in my day timer.

On April 5th I go to home office for a department meeting. (Fingerprint background check has slipped my mind since the reminder 2 1/2 months ago)

On April 10th I get a reminder from the secretary of our home office reminding me I need background check by May 6th.

I curse under my breath saying "Drat. I could have had this done on April 5th when I was there for a meeting."

I ask my manager what action I should take:

      a. drive to home office just to have background check done which costs mileage and cost of  BCI.

      b. have BCI done at my location office with a PO from home office and they will bill my home office

      c. have BCI done at my location, pay for it and put expense on my monthly expense sheet

My manger says I bring up a good point and he will check in with the director to see what I should do.

After one week, I receive no answer, so on April 16th, I ask my location office if I get a PO can I get a BCI done? They say absolutely. I take the most sensible option from the three choices. Please take note here that the regular lady who does PO's was not at her desk, so I asked another employee.

Many times I just take matters into my own hands because past experience tells me that if I don't, nobody will ever get back to me about what I am supposed to do, and I get in hot water for not having this done (in this example - my background check) by the due date.

I ask (in an e-mail) secretary of home office for a PO number so I can get my BCI.

 Home office secretary snaps at me that I should not need one. There is one on file for this!

I apologize to her and tell her I will check with my location's office to see if they have an outstanding PO number for me. I explain that the regular lady who handles the PO's was not at her desk and I had actually spoken to another employee there.

Home office secretary does not wait for my return message but runs to director with my e-mail message and who reprimands me and says I should have had this procedure done on April 5th! Of course I feel like a scolded child.

If I were the manager/directory I would have said "In the future, please try to remember to have this procedure done when you are scheduled at the home office for meetings."  Something to that effect. I was there in November for a meeting and the next one was April 5th (that is how rare we have department and/or staff meetings). This is the first time this incident has happened. It is not a repeat issue. I am very good at being efficient and always keep money-saving/time-saving practices in my mind. In fact, I am damn good.

I gather myself and say my mantra over and over that I must remain calm and not fire back a sarcastic smart-ass remark. After some time, I decide to dis-arm them all.

I apologize to her, the secretary and my manager and let them know it slipped my mind when I was there on April 5th and that I am SO SORRY! I state the three dates in my apology. January 17th (first notice), April 5th (meeting) and April 10th (second notice). The reason my manager is now included in the e-mails is because the director carbon copied him when she scolded me.

Secretary sends me a PO number and asks me to let her know date so she can log my next needed BCI check (in five years). Check back in five years for what I am certain is to be a similar episode.

Note on my satellite office. They tell me don't worry about it, they will give me a BCI and bill the home office with or without a PO. They also mention that it is illegal to keep a PO open for 5 years. We all agree that we are so thankful we do not work in my home office. (They are not in any way a part of my home office. They offer me an office to work out of since I am a satellite worker. This arrangement was made 18 years ago by two guys that are now gone). Also note about my location office - the previous evening 10 of us ladies had all met for dinner at a restaurant. We do this monthly and we laugh and carry on so much. We have become so close over the  years. 

I have talked to people in my home office. They say they are so miserable that the atmosphere there is horrible. They all despise one another. The departments work to undermine the other departments. People in the same department work against each other. It is pure poison there. I have heard this from several workers in that office.

I cannot change other people, so what I have learned from this is perhaps when I received that notice on January 17th, I should have put a reminder in my phone for April 1st (because our meetings at the home office are so scarce). This would possibly have reminded me to have the procedure done on April 5th.

And I will take a few moments again today to be thankful that I work in such a warm, friendly office and not in my home office that is filled with hate and animosity.