About 20 years ago, we have a young trainee, a very willing person and very competent.
We had a problem with some metal piece that could not stand the efforts. Almost all suppliers we serve parts only made of brass.
I was very busy, I was responsible for about a hundred engineers, more overworked than me.
I thought I'd give the order because it was easy, and also picked more leverage for taking safety decisions. It would be a good chance, because his work was always revised. If he was wrong, he would be part of their training.
I remember dispatching in a room with more than ten persons (they later paid the beers, but that comes at the end) and called him to come and explain.
He came, I explained the problem (I admit, very quickly) and had to find suppliers that make these little pieces but of a free oxidel, conductor and also would support physical punishment, but they were easily replaceable.
He left but returned very quickly. "What alloy?" While I just then had an interruption to the phone, during ten colleages remaining, and I pulled away the phone and said, "No matter, it's a prototype, evaluate and take your decision and we will prove it, no matter the price or are made of kryptonite"
A few hours later, a very reliable supplier sent me an email email quote with "10 pieces N mm x etc etc kryptonite $ 10 Billion / each" (a joke)
I was about to delete the message without more, but I was a thinking little seconds, didn't understand anything, not April.1 .... (I was very stressed and did not remember the small dispatch at morning)
.. Ups! under the message was the original email from the young trainee .......
I called him and asked:
"Hello, How was your assignment?"
Not very well, no one has answered me yet, even suppliers marked as fast, either. I assure you that sent it to the right people.
"Exactly what you asked?" (I knew, I put up my laughter staring into his eyes)
Therefore, to ensure the mission, the alloy that you mentioned, "kryptonite"."Do you know what is kryptonite?"
A new alloy?All the nearby group burst out laughing and me too.
The poor young was there seriously and was turning red, while I saw in his eyes that was not sarcasm honestly did not know the kryptonite sarcasm.
Thinking that the joke would be only on a few suppliers, I asked about the mailing list to apologize and I give a list of more than 100 companies. There I got red and I was serious, I paid the price of my stupid sarcasm. nobody reads Superman comics? I had no other than congratulate him "good job, you've really been fast & effective."
During some years after I was with him, overcame their training, occasionally when asked difficult or ambiguos things I responded sarcastically "must be made with kryptonite?"
I left more than 10 years ago, currently this person takes my place with great success (and it keeps reminding me
the rude joke) and tells me that internally retain the use of the keyword "kryptonite" when a client asks them somewhat ambiguous or uncertain results.
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