Yesterday was quite an unusual day. I had a run in with someone who made me SO angry I was left sputtering and speechless and fighting - not always successfully - tears! This bastard spoke to me with astonishing rudeness, telling me if I was going to work with him I "had better learn to cooperate"! He is a faculty member who has been here nearly as long as I and has just joined the team to teach a course that starts next Tuesday. His wife is chair of the course and she decided to bring him on to teach a couple of classes. And even though he was at the meeting we had a month or so ago when we met to talk about the scope of revisions possible on short notice, he obviously didn't pay any attention and just went off on his own direction and then showed up in my office making ridiculous demands. As he left my office, storming out and leaving an "or else" hanging in the air, the chairman of the office was coming down the hall. He took one look at me and we went into my office where I unloaded on him. He was angry and wanted to talk to the guy, but I told him no, but that I'd send him that way if he starting being abusive again. Then I took the story to the administrator who knows what an ass he is, since I'm not the only person to complain about his people skills. Then I composed an email to his wife, saying that I thought there might be a disconnect with some members of the team on what revisions she had asked for and what they should consist of. Aaaaand ..... less than 10 minutes later I got an email from the creep saying that unfortunately he had been under the impression that he could make modifications to a certain document and now that he couldn't there were a few other things that needed to be updated. No "I'm sorry" or "my mistake". What an ass.
I was wrecked. That kind of emotional stuff is not my thing. Drama is not my thing. It makes me feel terrible! My sister called while I was waiting for my second bus so I got to tell her a bit of the drama and then while I was walking Tink I listened to her continuing tale of woe. I needed to shake myself out of that funk though. It was raining and icky outside so there was no sunshine to jolly me out of it. I had to pick up a pre-order at Macy's so I did that and then went to the grocery store, sang out loud to the music and bought myself an expensive bouquet of flowers - not on the budget but I needed them! And a little piece of chocolate for later. After a shower and a martini and some stupid TV -- a new episode of South Park -- I was feeling much better.
I don't think he would have gotten to me as much as he had yesterday if I wasn't just right up against the wall. Anatomy is winding down and I am beyond busy, putting out fires and getting the exam set up as well as a million and one other details. And then to have this Neanderthal come in and start treating me as if I were ... well, I don't know what. Who treats people that way? If I had had my wits about me I could have slowed him down and explained things more clearly. Well, maybe I could have. It seems to me I was articulate and making sense but there wasn't a recorder going so who knows?
Anyway I'm back today and feeling stronger and I swear, if he comes near me again I'll blast him with The Look. Oh, wouldn't it be great if you could really zap people with a look? Now that's a super power I could get behind!
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