All the live long day...

Somedays, I just feel like I'm working the railroad, come to work, sludge through my day, swing my hammer, then go home when the whistle blows.  Today is one of those days, especially when it follows a day as awful as yesterday.

First of all, as a note to add on from yesterday, the curse count: SHIT!, 7 :: Goddamn, 1 :: Goddammit, 4

Today, my feet really dragged as I walked into the dark office.  At least I would have some alone time to ramp up to speed.

After 8, Rod came in and rather cheerily said "Good MORning, Katie!"  Since my morning was no longer "good," I said "Morning," back.  I had my head phones on and I was determined to be a good girl today!

A few minutes passed.  Then Rod said, quite unemotionally, "I apologize for yesterday.  It's not good to lose your temper at work."  And that, I suppose, was that.  For him.  For me, it may as well have been the Charlie Brown teacher:  "Wahhh wahh waaaaahhh wahhhh."  An apology signifies an earnest desire in the apologizer to change their behavior, that they are genuinely sorry it happened and will try to prevent it in the future.  Rod has no such good intention.  He just said the words because he was supposed to, which was evident in his tone.  But, to give him his due, he did do what he was supposed to do.  Which I guess, really, is shocking enough.

It didn't take him long to get into true form.
 
At first it was an email; he asked me to print a large document I had created.  On an environmental level, I'm opposed to printing large documents needlessly. So I told him where it was on the network, instead.  This was his reply:

----------------------- Original Message -----------------------

From: Rod Acme

To: Katie Murphy

Cc:

Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 08:37:03 -0800

Subject: re[2]: FA  vs  SII FW

what don't you understand about PRINT?


Rod Acme
Acme Inc.
Vice President of Sales

He's a peach, isn't he?  I bet you wish you worked here!

About an hour after that: 

"So will you add this to the document you are creating?" he said
Because he had asked me to email him, I paused, but then went along with it.
"Sure.  Did you get my email detailing the other things?  I can just--"
"You SENT an Email?"
"Yes, I sent it yesterday."
"Well, I didn't see it, unless you sent it in the last 30 minutes."  It was a challenge, plain and simple.
"I sent it yesterday morning.  Should I resend it and create a--"
Interrupted!  "I didn't see it!  Are you saying I missed it or something?"  His tone was rising along with his frustration.
"Well, I did send it yesterday.  Would you like me to resend it and create a document on the network?"
"We're NOT comMUNicating!  I told you I didn't SEE it except in the last 30 minutes.  Did I MISS it?"  The sarcasm was thick, the accusation blatant.
"I don't know, Rod."
"WILL YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION!"
"I said, 'I don't know.'"
"You don't know WHAT?!"  Now he was really getting mad.
"Do you remember what you asked me?"
"WHAT!?!"
"You asked me if you missed it.  I don't know if you missed it."
"Let me rephrase it." Blah blah blah he rambled, and then summed up "Did I not SEE it?!" Oh, Brother, here we go again.
"I don't know."
"WE ARE FAILING TO COMMUNICATE!"  Spittle flew from his lips.  His arms gesticulated.  Frustration was rampant.
"Rod, would you like me to send the email again and create a document?  Yes or no?"
"You need to let me FINISH!!" (I think he was close to tears!)
"Fine." I agreed
"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!"  Silence.  "You NEED to be EMPATHETIC to my DUMB questions!"
I was silent - I didn't want to interrupt again.
"Rod, are you waiting for me to reply?" All I heard were retreating footsteps.

Now, that may be a lot to read (it was a lot to type!) but that is pretty close to what actually transpired (In fact, I think I missed a few back and forths).  It is absolutely ABSURD, the conversations that take place here.  But after the harsh tones yesterday, I feel it necessary to explain how utterly frustrating and fruitless conversations are with him.  The sad part is, in two weeks, he'll likely have completely forgotten about this and won't even know there is now a document out there, nor that he asked for it.  Sigh.

Rod left for a short time.  To complete some work, I had to go to his desk.  There I found a folder with a woman's name on it.  In the binder, Rod had printed out all his email correspondence with whomever it is coming up here this weekend.  Gentle readers, I will not offend you with the details of the emails, but they are the same ones I find on the printer all the time.  They use crude words to describe sexual acts, parts, positions, and desires.  Now, I'm not a prude, but I definitely do not think the office is the place for this type of thing.  I mean, how creepy is it knowing Rod is typing and reading emails like this right next to me?  Ick factor: I can't count that high.  (Plus, how weird is it that he prints up these emails and collects them in a binder?!  Ick factor +100)

Then out of the blue today:  "How often does a bank make an error in your favor?"  There was a drawn out silence I couldn't ignore.  "Um, not very often, Rod."  He laughed.  "Well, I think the bank made an error in my favor.  And I'm not gonna tell em!"  Oh, what wonderful choices he makes, huh?
 
Today's curse count:  Shit!, 5 :: Goddammit, 1
 
So, to focus, I am just grinding out another day at the railroad, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."

Eye Tee Girl