The hot potato

With a loud "thud" the heavy file hit my desk. She advised me that I would now have this account. "Really," I said, "even though I don't support that salesperson or that territory?"

"Yes," she turned to leave. "Now it's yours. I have to leave for vacation."

"Oh, is this just temporary then? While you're on vacation?" Otherwise it didn't make any sence to have this one account that had nothing at all to do with my territory.

"No. It's yours from now on." She stepped out of my cubicle.

I called after her, "but it doesn't make sence. Why is this one account in your territory, but my responsibility?"

"Because the director of sales says so."

The Vice President of Sales (and the director's boss) called me into his office, rather angrily, asking for THE file. "Sit down and tell me all you know about this file."

I told him that I didn't have to sit down for the little I knew about it. I told him how it landed on my desk one business day earlier. I never saw the hot potato again and never did find out the problem.