On two occasions, I’ve sat in meetings where a high-ranking corporate cheeseball was given a challenging question (about quarterly earnings or what not) and the first thing out of his mouth was a muted, almost sotto voce “thanks,” after which he went on to answer the question. Obviously a verbal tic substituted for “uh” (or “duh”). But two different occasions, with similar cheeseballs in similar settings – do they teach that at Wharton, or what? I can imagine said cheeseball coming home to his wife some time after midnight with a rumpled collar and liquor on his breath, and when she demands to know where he’s been, the first thing out of his mouth is a muttered “thanks” while he quickly thinks up a story about working late.
No biggie, just thought it was weird. You ever encounter this?