We had three supervisors at the phone bank. Each bringing at least a year's experience. Apparently that was enough time to encounter ~97% of financial aid scenarios, which was enough to be our supervisors. Their jobs officially was to assist us: whenever we found ourselves stumped, we could go on hold and use a nearby supervisor as a sort of call-a-friend lifeline. If they couldn't help us that way then they'd jump on the call personally.

I also think that unofficially-officially their jobs was to make sure we didn't slack. I imagine that The Director of The Office of Financial Aid was paranoid about this pilot program going off the tracks and making her look like a fool. So she put three of her trusted 'officers' to make sure the troops stayed in line. If I had to put my money on it, I bet The Director had initially imagined her supervisors hovering up and down the rows of computers to make sure that we were speaking properly, answering calls on time, and not doing anything too out-field on our computers.

When I accepted this job, I thought I'd be on the phone all day. It was a job at a call center so what else could I expect? During training, which was led by The Director herself, she had alluded to the fact that some parts of the summer would be busier than others. 

"So when there's nobody calling in, can we do whatever we want? Like surf the net?" A buff, bald guy who wore a 

Hurley

hat asked. The question everybody in the room had.

"Yes." The Director said with great reservation and caveat. "Just don't get too into something... because we need you to be ready when a call does go in." Her lips were smiling after saying this, but her eyes weren't.

None of us, not even the supervisors, knew how many calls we'd be getting. At this time I thought I might be able to read a

New Yorker

article slowly between my calls up until lunch. And then maybe in the afternoon I might just skim

reddit

 between my calls. That was the plan, so imagine my surprise when our first work did begin. Imagine not only my surprise, but the room's. And not just our surprise, but our joy and laughter.