KINGMAN, AZ (June 8, 2020) – Among the agenda items in today’s (Monday) special Board of Supervisor’s meeting was an item request from retiring County Manager Mike Hendrix. Anybody who has worked at one place for a long time might recognize the need to retain something sentimental from that experience just prior to final departure.  In this case, it was for an HP 15C calculator that Hendrix had received from the county when he started in 1984. Being the Engineer that he is, it was the perfect device that was needed.

Board Chairman Jean Bishop requested the back story on the device.  The County Manager explained, “I’ve been using it since 1984.  Unfortunately, I ran over it once.  It’s got a little bend in it. I’ve had to glue some pieces back on it, but, it’s never failed to operate.” He also explained its value to him further when he added, “it holds its batteries for three years.”

Hendrix also said that the calculator operates on “Reverse Polish Notation.” In RPN, the operators follow their operands; for instance, to add 3 and 4, one would write 3 4 + rather than 3 + 4. During the 1970s and 1980s, Hewlett-Packard (HP) used RPN in all of its desktop and hand-held calculators, and continued to use it in some models into the 2010s.

Supervisor Hildy Angius thought it was a good idea and good naturedly pointed out that in the movie, “Office Space” a character also has a sentimental attachment to his prized red stapler.  All in good humor, the board voted unanimously to allow Hendrix to retain his 36 year old possession. Batteries included.