Helpful.

Last week, while half of the office was out on vacation, I got a call from one of our software vendors. He called me directly, even though I don't usually have anything to do with his application. What he said was, "You were so helpful the last time I needed someone, I wonder if you would do something for me". What it means is I have probably added another line to my job description.

In my office there are 2 kinds of people. The ones who say "that's not my job, I don't know anything about that" and me.

No I'm kidding, there's actually a couple other people who will try, but the really technically skilled folks in our office generally won't. I think I much prefer the folks who will at least give it a go.

I got pulled into debugging, over the phone, a problem with an ancient application that is beyond obsolete. It's in software that I didn't use even when it was popular. I'm tagged simply for having been hired into the group that created it several years before I was hired and lasting at the company when the others are gone. I was in a pissy mood about it and really didn't want to help. On the line, however, was a guy who has practically no computer background who has really made a go of it with this application. I couldn't help myself, his 'I can try' attitude got me involved. It energized me, and I think we found something to try that may fix the problem.

And I always thought the saying "attitudes are contagious" was just a poster platitude.

There's another theory shot to hell.