Manager: We (meaning you) need to do task A. How long will it take?
Me: Task A will take X days to do.
Manager: That seems awful long.
Me: How long do you think it should take?
Manager: It surely could not take any longer than Y days.
Me: Ok, it seems you have an answer to your question then.
Later:
Manager: It’s been Y days, why isn’t task A done yet?
My favorite place I worked, it was a 9-5 but really just get your work done and be in the office from 11 to 2 because that’s when all the clients call. We’d close our doors and turn off the phone one day a week just so we could get work done, because every week there’s at least one day we all spend manning phones and putting out fires all fucking day instead of doing the work we’re paid to do.