The great lamp caper or, check that mail before hitting the button

Lesson 1: If you lose your lamp, don’t mess about: go right to the top and complain to the boss.

Lesson 2: It pays to check e-mails, especially addresses, before hitting the “Send” button.

A Thomson Reuters employee complained that his table lamp disappeared while he was on vacation. “Could you please help me to return it back?” he wrote in an e-mail.

Anton Galin, a senior software developer, sent his message to the chief executive of the markets division, Devin Wenig.

Within 24 hours the saga went “viral”, spreading so fast and wide that two Facebook groups called “Where is my lamp?” were launched and hundreds of people joined.

Here’s the original exchange:

Anton Galin: The lamp from my table disappeared when I was on vacations. Could you please help me to return it back?

Devin Wenig: I'm sorry about your lamp. What would you suggest I do?

Anton Galin: I do not know… as I understand some service people removed lamps from a lot of desks. Some people did not allow them to do this, but I was on vacation… Probably you can tell me who did this, by whose order or/and who is responsible and what I have to do to request the lamp back...

Devin Wenig: On the assumption that you are serious, I have copied chris staal in our real estate group who can look into the great lamp caper. I wish you all the best.

Anton Galin: I sent these emails mistakenly not looking at where I send them. I am so sorry. Please accept my apologies.

Devin Wenig: Don't apologize. Its ok. Chris will sort it out.

All my best. 

Footnote: This saga began before 1 April.

FACEBOOK Where is my lamp?

CLICK to find out more about Anton Galin ■