Confessions of an IT Manager_Phil Factor

Introduction
During my career as an IT professional, strange things have always seemed
to happen to me. The true incidents I describe in the chapters that lie ahead are
those that are intended to illustrate a point about working in IT.
There are many such incidents that I cannot talk about because, in doing so,
I would reveal my true identity. Many cannot be used because they are
unrelated to the themes of this set of articles, which are about the IT workplace,
and the predicament of those who work in the business. Some stories have to
remain untold as they are so outrageous that nobody would believe them. A few
would be unsuitable for a public airing on grounds of decency.
Even as a student, I was dogged by bizarre events. I once called in, out of
curiosity, to a fashionable restaurant and nightclub in Central London that was
decked out in a 'Satanist' theme, all black walls and plastic skulls. My wife and
I sat down to a tasty and rather expensive meal amongst the rather dodgy
tasteless decorations.
After a while, a large chandelier fell on my head.
I mistakenly decided that I was the target of a joke or a television prank, so I
pretended that nothing had happened and carried on eating. Blood trickled
down from a cut on my forehead, but I munched on my meal with true British
Backbone. Nervous waiters suddenly were fluttering around apologising and
mopping up. Thinking the joke had gone on rather a long time, I ignored them.
After a while peace was restored. It suddenly seemed too quiet. I looked up
to spot other diners backing out through the restaurant door, eyeing us
nervously. From behind the bar, I could just see the top of the head of a barman
as he stared like a frightened rabbit at me from behind a row of bottles. The
kitchen door was slightly ajar, and two pale faces were dimly visible from
behind.
Oh dear, I thought, they think I'm the Antichrist.
I stood up. The kitchen door slammed, and I then caught site of my bloodied
face in the mirror behind the bar. Hmm. I could understand why they'd thought
that.
Nobody charged us for the meal, then or on any of the subsequent occasions
that we visited. There is joy to be had in a case of mistaken identity.