Sent the payroll to the Fed

Working late one summer night, hotter that hell
Merging banks, recently bought, had to do it well
Cause payroll was tomorrow, three thousand people, fourteen banks
Would get their checks by noon, that torrid day in June
There was no slack, one false move, don't come back.

I was cutting headers to parse each bank's destination
Those, in-house got a unique code, without this code
The Federal Reserve was the default station.

The final stroke I keyed, was relieved, but then I just could not believe
And I knew it the moment I hit that key, cause a little part of my memory
Said oops, you dummy, don't you see, that tape is going to the Fed, from me!

I quickly called the president and told her what I did; I sent the payroll to the Fed!
In a measured cool response she said, "call this number", which I did,
"We've got a messenger there at three, have him pick it up for me.
Done this before, no tragedy. Will be back in time; payroll doesn't run 'til nine".

I did what I was told, heart pounding with pouring sweat, so cold.
But at four a.m. the tape came in, it was o.k. Like nothing happened on that day
We ran the payroll right on time, at nine
Was fifteen years ago, a memory that I'll never shed
The night I sent the payroll to the Fed.

Copyright: Newell Elsworth Usher
Silver Springs, Florida
April 16, 2000