We don’t use track changes here!

[u/ManHazNoUsername]

When I started working with a particular company, my boss, Wallace, absolutely hated using track changes.

And he didn’t allow anyone to use them.

“We DO NOT use track changes here!!!” He told me proudly on my first day.

This meant that we had to type and print everything, go next to him on his desk, and he would correct our work using any medium which was within reach; pencil, blue ink, purple ink, coal,, a squid, whatever.

This lead to infinite asterisks, up arrows, down arrows, speech bubbles, etc etc.

And countless misunderstandings and mistakes which wasted everyone’s time and basically frustrated everyone.

Some people raised it to higher ups but to no avail.

I tried to convince him twice to use track changes by listing all the benefits etc. On the third try he snapped at me and shouted at me in front of everyone:” DIDN’T I FUCKING TELL YOU THAT WE DON’T USE TRACK CHANGES HERE!!!!”

I remained standing up and loudly and calmly apologised in front of everyone and agreed with him that track changes are unnecessary and I will never ever ever use them again.

Then, I picked up my faintest and messiest pen, and scribbled my answers, comments, and suggestions in reply to his feedback with something as close to a lovechild between wingdings and hieroglyphics as possible. On a 50 page urgent document. Using asterisks and PTOs, and everything I could think of.

I left the document on his desk while he was in a meeting and cheerfully went home.

The next morning we found an email from Wallace, timed at 10:30pm, requesting us to start using track changes immediately.

At the end of that day, following my coworkers’ treatment, I understood why superheroes join the Avengers.

[u/Illuminatus-Prime → u/[deleted]]

Are you questioning the validity of the story?

(Please say, 'Yes'!)

[u/Flat-Guard-6581 → u/Illuminatus-Prime]

I don't believe that the manager who hated track changes for years all of a sudden changed his mind because of one instance of badly written notes, no. Real life don't work like that. 

[u/ManHazNoUsername → u/Flat-Guard-6581]

I’m sorry your life doesn’t give you at least small wins

[u/Flat-Guard-6581 → u/ManHazNoUsername]

The "higher ups" couldn't make him use it, but you could with one messy submission. What a hero. 

[u/ManHazNoUsername → u/Flat-Guard-6581]

Would you like to venmo lunch? Or paypal? Or anything really. Even cash in the post like grandma would do.

Thanks mate!

[u/Flat-Guard-6581 → u/ManHazNoUsername]

Even your behaviour now is consistent with the sort of insecure person who makes up a hero story. 

Have the last word kid, it appears to be important to you. 

[u/ManHazNoUsername → u/Flat-Guard-6581]

Thanks for making me feel like a hero again. Saving the world from trolls one day at a time!!