Clients DO NOT give in to terrorism
A few years ago I'd recently started a new job, and was still getting to know our somewhat demanding clients.

The first day I was actually going down to Winchester to meet them face to face, my journey to work was a nightmare. First, the bus inexplicably stopped halfway to work and turfed us all off. Then I couldn't get through to work on my mobile to tell them I was running late.

Finally got to work, grumbling about TfL, to discover VERY few people in our office, and something about bombs. Yes, 7/7, and I'd managed to not notice due to an iPod playing Shostakovich distracting me from the fact EVERYONE was walking.

What happened next astonished me. Rang the client to explain we wouldn't be able to make it:
c: But there's nothing happening in Winchester
m: We're in London. There's no trains and police are asking people not to travel
c: But we need to plan our advertising campaign. Can't you drive down?
m: No seriously, it's bombs and stuff. It's quite big news
c: Don't you value our account?
m: Um, yes. But not as much as I value my life, and not irritating the police who are tense and carrying guns during a major terrorist incident
etc etc.

tl;dr: In a crisis, I respond as if I'm in a crisis. Public sector management believe nothing should stop the bureaucracy, and perspective is for losers.
( prince-igor si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, Mon 18 Jun 2012, 14:25, 4 replies)

Damn you Shostakovich. With your distracting tuneful tunes.

(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 18 Jun 2012, 16:11, closed)

Shostakovich!
You are totally getting friended for that :D
(grandmasterfluffles Come to my Armageddon party on, Mon 18 Jun 2012, 21:22, closed)

Hang on...
I friended you already. Probably because of Shostakovich or something.
(grandmasterfluffles Come to my Armageddon party on, Mon 18 Jun 2012, 21:23, closed)

Reminds me of this
I know a guy who worked for a PC service helpline, who explained to a caller that she couldn't get the parts she needed to repair her computer, due to the supplier being in London and the lorry held up by the terrorist attacks. She just went off on a rant about this being unacceptable.
(IHateSprouts is baking a huge pie shaped like an enormous pie, Tue 19 Jun 2012, 10:25, closed)