I am still not trustworthy in the eyes of our PR woman. I made a big mistake last winter in telling a reporter that I thought the utility company disconnecting service in the middle of November for an overdue $20 was "ridiculous" and got our agency in a minor jam. Part of my job, I guess, is making nice with the evil utility overlords so they'll accept our promises to pay out of our emergency funds and such. PR woman says "it's their money and they have a right to demand it, or else deny service." The crime-fighter in me wanted to say, "fuck off, you making-four-times-as-much-as-me, out-of-touch whore. No one should have their heat cut off in the middle of an Iowa winter regardless of their ability to pay." But instead I just nod (which is silly since we're on the phone) and say, "I'm sorry, Julie. I understand completely. It won't happen again."

That was the first time I ever spoke to the public as a representative of my agency and I didn't quite understand the politics involved. Before I did the interview, I alerted PR woman and she OK'ed it, giving me zero advice. Now, everytime a reporter comes to me for information about programs that I administer, I give them Julie's number (which is protocol). She calls my director, who knows little details about what I've been doing and always has to come to me eventually to get program usage numbers, personal interest stories, and information on what we need the most.

So today, Shelia, my director, has me grab my accounting book and sit in her office while she's on the phone with the reporter. She turns the volume up so I can vaguely hear some of what the reporter is asking. Then, she slyly repeats the question in the beginning of her answer so I can, mostly off the top of my head, rattle off the answer. Speaking of ridiculous...