These are the times that try men's souls...

Or women's, I'm not being gender-biased when I say that.  But holy moly this place just wears me out.
 
Until about 1 today, it was fairly normal.  Rod took a number of personal calls that interrupted business calls (on the topics of anything from betting to medical conditions).  He spoke so loudly that I had to ask our customer more than once to repeat himself.  I could hear Rod's voice through my headset, "I won the BET!"  Then he took a couple calls where his only response was "I'm sorry, where are you calling from?  *pause*  "Oh, well I only do business with people in the USA."  I can practically see him with one hand over his heart while he salutes with the other!  What a model of patriotism!

At one point, a vendor called and wanted Rod to buy something.  I have no idea what, but Rod didn't want it.  He said several times, he was not interested.  The poor sales lady kept at it, apparently.  I then heard "I don't think your business model is legitimate, that's why!" (he's one to talk!!) and then a pause, then "Listen, honey, I'm just not interested!"  He is one awesome dude.

Then, something curious happened, I guess.  I'm not entirely sure which planets collided, but the resounding smack was impressive.  Jen asked for help with an issue that I couldn't immediately explain.  Being the IT person that I am, I asked her to reboot.  With a fresh boot, things are a lot easier to test from a troubleshooting perspective.  At this point, I guess Rod decided to intervene.  "That crap's not gonna help!  That's not what the problem is!"  I pointed out that I don't know the app all that well, and this is where I have to start.  I asked if he had any better ideas?  Now, perhaps, in retrospect, I could've bitten that last bit back, but this is me, after all.  I don't do well at tongue biting.

There was a short pause, an inhale, and then:  "I dunno!  Reinstalling the goddamn thing would do more than reBOOTING it!"  There it was, just hanging out there.  He cussed at me again.  Now, he didn't curse me directly, per sé, but why does he need to use bad words when addressing me?  So, frankly, I just got mad.  "Don't curse at me, Rod, how many times do I have to ask you?"  I was putting my jacket on to leave (that's the rule we established) when he said, clearly having lost his temper now:  "y'KNOW, dealing with your idioSYNCracies is getting ridiculous."

Oh, brother.

"Asking you to not curse at me is ridiculous?"
"WHAT!? When did I CURSE at you?!!"
No way, really?  "Um, you just said goddamn to me."  Silence.  "Don't you even remember saying that?  You don't even know what you are saying?"  Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't say this calmly, but I didn't say it angrily either.  No, the tone I was going for was "piss him off snide" and I think I accomplished that tone perfectly.  (Ask my fiancé, he'll tell you how good I am at it.) :)

Well, he didn't have much to say to that.  He mustered up an angrily yelled "This is a NEW YEAR!  I'm NOT going to start it off by ARGUING with you!" 

To which I replied, coolly, "It's not an argument, Rod.  You will not treat me like this.  You will not curse at me.  You will be respectful."  Well, he just wanted to yell and yell at me.  I simply stuck to my line.  I was not arguing with him, I was stating the condition for my continued employment there.  I'm not sure he understood me.  He just yelled louder about respect.  I reminded him you don't get respect without giving it.

I was doing my best to get the hell outta Dodge at this point.  I was moving things around in my cubicle, trying to get my thoughts together long enough to get my belongings and not leave anything behind before making my dramatic exit.  I had my calendar, jacket, backpack, phone... Hell, if we'd had a gold fish, I would've grabbed that, too! 

And then Jen made a suicidal kamikaze dive at my cubicle.  I'm still not sure what drove her to make me stay, but stay I did.

"Katie, I have a couple things I'd like to show you before I reboot."  She mouthed out "Calm down, it's okay," and it helped, but not much.  I was shaking, I was seeing red.  Idiosyncratic to not be cussed at in an office?  Of all the things he does and says, this is the only thing I routinely object to, and he called it an idiosyncracy?!  I don't know the last time I was so angry!

So, I went to help Katie.  Rod couldn't keep quiet, and asked a question that seemed directed at me.  I allowed at least 60 seconds of silence to go by.  I said "I assume you are talking to Jen because I am not in the building any longer."  This is when he decided to play Messenger, like from kindergarten:  "Jen, will you tell Katie blah blah blah"  I interrupted.  "I am helping a friend right now, not a coworker.  I will not speak to you right now."

Wowie Maui.  One head gasket blown, right then and there!

The sound that came from Rod was complete loss of control.  He screeched "LEEEEEEEEEEAVE!!!  You GET OUT OF HERE!  YOU ARE IRRITATING TO WORK WITH!  GET OUT!" Finally, something we agree on, Rod!  But by now, he was charging out of his cubicle at me, a fist in the air.  He pointed at the door.  Startled and a little frightened by the vehemence, I bowed my head.
 
I shrugged at Jen, and apologized.  "Sorry, Jen, I guess I can't help you after all."  With that, I walked quietly out of the office and into the blissful, polluted, noisy, grey, wet... but blessedly peaceful air.  I took respite in a nearby shop while I facebooked my status "Walked out on my boss... Again.  I think I should just stay gone this time."  I called my S.O.  I looked out the window. I sighed.

I smiled.

It wasn't long before Jen called to tell me Rod had left for the day.  Resignedly, I walked back to the office, but it was with my head held high.  Even now, here I sit at the desk, blogging, about the world's worst working environment.  I have applied a thick coat of anti-coldsore medicine and could use a healthy shot of valium, but here I sit, here I'll stay.  Earning one more day's worth of pay, and not caring a scat if there isn't another day.

I have drawn my line, and it is not in shifting sand.

Eye Tee Girl