April Fool's Day - A Blessing in Disguise!

First day of the fourth moon in the year 1987. It was just like any other working day. We were all busy trying to clear as much work as possible. I had a report to type. About an hour before the closing hour, I have done over 10 pages. The next pages were tables and so I decided to back up my working diskette and type the tables tomorrow. In those days, the diskettes did not come formatted and so I have to format it.

You guess right? Instead of formatting a new diskette so that I could diskcopy my working diskette, I formatted my working diskette!! And of course all the 10 pages plus were deleted.

Blame my hands – they are too efficient!! I was stunned. I wanted to cry but no tears came out. I just could not believe what I have done!! And it had to happen on an April Fool’s Day. How could I ever forget this day?

I was restless at home. I knew I would not be able to sleep that night. With the encouragement from my husband I decided to go back to the office and retype whatever I could.

The big office was so quiet. There was no telephone ringing, no interference of staff moving in and out and so I was able to concentrate on my typing. I have never typed as accurate and fast as I did that night. While typing, the desire of sitting for the LCCI Higher Typing Certificate struck me hard. Because my Shorthand Typist course was only a year course in 1972, the highest level of typing certificate I was qualified to sit for was the LCCI Intermediate Stage. I had passed my proficiency but failed my speed test!! The thought of resitting to obtain a speed certificate or a higher stage never cross my mind then.

Immediately after that April Fool's Day in the office, I enrolled myself in a commercial school and faithfully attended classes after work. Nobody cared if I was the oldest student there! Who cared anyway? I wanted that certificate! Yes I got it at the end of 1987 – LCCI Higher Typewriting Certificate with the following results listed: Typewriting (Proficiency) (Distinction); Typewriting (Speed) (pass) 61 wpm; Typewriting (Accuracy) (pass) 99%.

If I have not formatted my working diskette that April Fool's afternoon, which in turn pushed me to return to the office to type that night, I would never have thought about obtaining that certificate! Wasn’t it a blessing in disguise?