2% or 3%?

An email came in today from the president of the university - looks like we're getting a one time bonus of 2% of our base pay. Which is pretty cool - especially since we haven't had raises in a while. I was pretty excited about that and sent an instant message to one of my co-workers in my group. Here is the transcript of that conversation:

------------------------

anthony serpette says (1:58 PM):

did you see the email from Dr. P?

it ended up in my junk folder - but it was not junk

c says (1:59 PM):

yea, 3% isn't bad

I'll take it

anthony serpette says (2:03 PM):

3%?

mine said 2%

c says (2:03 PM):

I've had better, but that's not bad

what?

earlier today the University's Board of Trustees endorsed my recommendation to grant all employees a one-time payment amounting to 3 percent of their current base salary that I sincerely hope will make the Holidays a bit brighter for everyone.

anthony serpette says (2:04 PM):

you're screwing with me, aren't you?

c says (2:04 PM):

what do you mean/

?

Yours said 2?

re-read it

anthony serpette says (2:04 PM):

mine says 2 percent

c says (2:04 PM):

r u sure?

--------------------------

At this point, I was now talking over the cubicle walls to another co-worker, who confirmed that his email said 3%. I told "C" to stop over to read the message and I highlighted the text on my email. He was surprised and as puzzled as I was about it and I starting thinking about seniority, base pay calculations, etc - then I asked if I could see his email. Thinking - perhaps - this was a different email list with some programming to do a calculation that failed.

It was then that he broke down and told me that he was messing with me. And he got my other co-worker to go along with it.

The conversation via IM starts up again:

------------------------

anthony serpette says (2:07 PM):

you, sir, are a bitch

c says (2:23 PM):

you should've seen your face

that was fucking hilarious

anthony serpette says (2:24 PM):

I went from "excited about the bonus" to "ummm... I thought I was doing a good job here?" to " you guys suck"

c says (2:24 PM):

I'm gonna save this IM thread and frame it.

anthony serpette says (2:25 PM):

I'm putting it in my blog

c says (2:25 PM):

lol

Your face was red

you were pissed

c says (2:26 PM):

lol

------------------------

My other co-worker sent me a note as well:

---------------

b says (2:24 PM):

just so you know, it was all C's idea

anthony serpette says (2:25 PM):

yeah, I figured. :) It was very well executed - and it wouldn't have worked so well if you hadn't been in on it. Nicely done.

---------------

So, I got punked. But it was pretty funny when it was all done. Hats off to my clever co-workers. :)