Making A Mark

A long time ago, David & I had cats. One of them, a male we named Mickey was a regal personality.  Like all cats he had very distinct likes and dislikes. Usually content, he would get very unhappy when one of us was out of the apartment (this was long ago and far away from Bucks County, Pennsylvania) and would show his displeasure in very unique ways.

One day, David had been gone for several hours when I heard this crashing, clawing, meowing disturbance in the front room. I ran from the kitchen just in time to see Mickey plop hard into the fireplace covered in ash. How he climbed up the chimney still mystifies me. His sudden descent sent puffs of soot flying everywhere.  Since he was mostly white, he just looked dirty. “Wait till David comes home,” I yelled at him, “boy, will you be in trouble.”

A few minutes later I heard the key turn in the front door and when I went to greet David, I found Mickey trying to hide under the area rug in the hall. His beautiful black tail was swooshing back and forth, almost like he had convinced himself that if David did not see his dirty body, he could deny the escapade. After I told David the story, we stood there laughing, but Mickey would not come out from under the rug.

That episode has become part of our vernacular.  At DDA, when someone tries to pull a fast one, or squirm out of a problem (this could be a vendor or a sales person, or some customer service rep), we look at each other and say, “Someone just pulled a Mickey.” Now, I’m here to tell you all of us who work here DO NOT PULL MICKEYS. Sometimes, our mistakes can be embarrassing or painful, but we acknowledge and learn and move on.

That is why we are the proud, intrepid band that we are. Graphic Designers, Programmers, Videographers, New Media Experts, Professional Writers, Production Pros all toiling to make the world of marketing and advertising an enticing place to work, to build a career, to leave a mark.

Entry by: elizabeth