Auto-Responder: Science Fiction

An auto-responder saved the world. The good Congressman from Milwaukee, who had won his election campaign on his promise to communicate openly with all his constituents, was the one and only politician whose auto-responder promised that he would read and respond to all his mail within a week. And so the alien fleet jockeyed itself into position reversed thrusters on its asteroid storm, and waited. I suppose I say an auto-responder saved the world to make you laugh, since the story that follows is, as we all know, pretty grim. Really, I think it was the astrophysics engineering student who was interning at the Congressman's office since she was wavering about whether really, all along she'd just wanted to be a communications major, and did it really matter that she loved math when all her friends made fun of her for never going to any parties? She was on wacko patrol, reading through the emails and responding with form letters where possible, a quick note and a forward to the Congressman's next-tier-up aide where not, and a forward to the "potential crazies--save for police" folder where appropriate. She almost moved the alien invasion email--


Inspiration: Doing my morning email-processing. I used to be terrible about ever responding to anything, and I've made it a point to improve.
Story potential: Low.
Notes: I don't think this is a story in and of itself, but it could be a nice grace note.