This time around, I was a whole lot luckier than before.
What I didn't expect was a call from Victor that same evening.
"Layla, you left the company with a few expenses still unsettled. Finance tells me you owe us five hundred dollars."
I listened to his voice on the other end and laughed in disbelief.
"Mr. Henson, did you forget?"
"That five hundred dollars was money I used to buy materials. I gave you the receipt at the time!"
I still remembered. It had happened last week. I'd been in a rush to purchase materials, so I withdrew the funds from accounting.
But by the time I finished repairing the instrument, the accounting department had already closed for the day.
Victor happened to walk by, so I handed the receipt to him.
On the other end of the line, his voice turned cold. "Have you forgotten the company's rules and regulations?"
"You gave the receipt to me? What kind of procedure is that?"
"Besides, I lost it."
He said it without a shred of guilt, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.
I kept my tone flat. "Mr. Henson, since the receipt is gone, that five hundred is on me."
"I'll transfer it to you right now. Will that settle it?"
My voice was cool, detached.