Are You 50?
The Laugh
I am a police officer who retired early and then returned to duty. To communicate effectively and efficiently, emergency services use a code system. Upon returning to duty, I had not brought myself totally up to speed on updates in this system. There are two numbers for using it: the old code for unauthorized listeners present was 12-20*. However, when using the system, the first number is usually dropped, so an officer would just be asked if they were 20? Which meant, “ Are unauthorized listeners present?”
I was doing highway patrol and had stopped a vehicle. I was checking the person’s license, etc., and dispatch called me on the radio and asked me if I was 50. Please note that when dispatch calls you, everyone in the area can hear the radio conversation.
I responded (somewhat confused), “No, I am 51.”
Dispatch came back again and said, “ We want to know if you are 50” (i.e., Are unauthorized listeners present?)
I responded, “No! I am not 50; I am 51.” At this point, I am getting a bit annoyed, and I am still confused.
By this time, there is a lot of laughter on the radio.
Another officer heard this conversation and jumped in on the radio saying, “ Bruce, I think you are confused, they want to know if you’re 50.”
I responded in a very agitated way, saying, “No! I know my age, and I’m 51!”
At that moment, dispatch came back with howls of laughter and said, “Bruce, we changed the system, and 12-20 is now 12-50”. “Are you 50?”
I never lived it down. It was a standing joke for weeks. Even now, more than ten years later, when I run into fellow officers in public, they continue to ask me if I’m 50.
*All details have been changed
The Lesson
Find the humor. According to the Mayo Clinic, There are benefits to laughing and finding the humor in a situation, including activating and relieving the stress response, soothing tension, and improving immune system function and mood
The Iteration (i.e., how to make it better next time)
When you assume you make an ASS of U and ME. Don’t assume things stay the same or that you are familiar with a setting or industry’s common language. It is always good to ask if things have changed and double-check that your current knowledge is up-to-date!