But...if you want the boss to know something but don't want to be associated with it (or risk being the messenger that got killed), tell the boss's tush-kisser. I was told early on by friends in the departmen5t to be very careful what I said to Laurie or within her hearing.

"But... if you want Sue [2nd in command] to know something, tell it to Laurie. It will get to Dick [department head] before 5."

Laurie would relay it to Sue, who loved gossip of any kind, as a dung beetle loves dung. We knew by the next morning Big Dick (as he called himself) would have a plan in place that made him look like gold.. These were the 80s. No email, no cell phones, not even beepers. Just Laurie.