Re: [TUHS] UNIX: A History and a Memoir by Brian W. Kernighan is now out

[Mary Ann Horton <mah@mhorton.net>]

That's similar but different in a couple of important ways. And it's not 
G.R. Emlin's, that's what reminded me of it.

Here is the badge story as I heard it.

Two MTS at Murray Hill were discussing their badges. It was routine to 
walk into the building, show the guard your badge, and keep walking.

One guy said "They never look at those things!  I'll bet I could paste a 
picture of a monkey on my badge, and he'd never notice it!". The other 
guy said "You're on!".

So the first guy pastes a monkey picture on his badge. The second guy 
tips off the guard, and watches from inside the building.

The first guy comes into the building and flashes his monkey badge to 
the guard. No reaction, so he keeps on walking. A few second later, the 
guard calls after him. "Hey, come back here! Let me see your badge." The 
guy knows he's in trouble, but he comes back and hands the guard his badge.

The guard looks at the badge. He looks at the employee. He looks at the 
badge. He looks at the employee. He looks at the badge.

Handing the badge back to the employee, he says "OK, you can go!"


On 10/28/19 3:09 PM, Jon Forrest wrote:
>
>
> On 10/28/19 2:41 PM, Mary Ann Horton wrote:
>
>> Without telling the actual stories here, one involves a monkey 
>> picture pasted onto a Bell Labs badge, the other is about an MTS who 
>> was late to a meeting because she was grepping her apartment for her 
>> keys. I've told these stories often, and they get a good laugh.
>
> [brown paper bag story]
>