The first thing Nancy McGill does in the morning is check her e-mail. It's not in the job description, it's just the type of thing that systems managers do. By reading the mail first, Nancy is able to think through issues while she showers, gets dressed, and drives to work. When she arrives at the lab her questions and ideas are organized. As the Director of Systems Management for MicroLabs, her responsibilities never stop.

On a rainy morning in January of 1995, only one of the fifteen new overnight messages stood out from the rest.

"Dear Ms. McGill: I realize this request is quite unusual. I need very much to talk with you by telephone this morning. I propose nine o'clock. I believe your calendar is clear at that time. The nature of our call will be to discuss my identity. I regret to tell you that I cannot reveal that information in this message. I hope your curiosity will overcome your sense of professional propriety and lead you to indulge me this favor. I'll initiate the call at precisely nine o'clock. Thank you."

An anonymous request for a telephone call at nine o'clock. Probably just a creative introduction from another headhunter. Nancy's reputation often brought job offers from MicroLabs' competitors. Interesting the e-mail contained no return address. The gateway must have another glitch. She was wishing she had gotten the new Windows version installed. In any case, the eight o'clock Operations meeting would be over by nine so taking the call would be possible.

While driving to work, it occurred to Nancy that the Caller ID function on the phone system would give her Mr. Anonymous' return phone number. That should remove some of the mystery.

Following the uneventful but too long Operations meeting, Nancy walked into her office just before nine and waited. Why was she so intrigued by this? She couldn't help herself.

At exactly nine o'clock the phone rang. She answered immediately, but noticed the Caller ID function was not giving her the information she expected. It was indicating that the call was coming from her own extension! How could that be? Another bug? Things were getting more serious.

"Hello, this is Nancy McGill," she said.



ISYS Idea System, Inc. designed and implemented the Spike Webb (tm) site, including all content and artwork.

Copyright © 1995 ISYS Idea Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in
any form or medium without express written permission of ISYS Idea Systems, Inc. is prohibited.
Spike Webb and the Spike Webb logo are trademarks of ISYS Idea Systems, Inc.