Depressed/Psychotic Co-Workers

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So tonight I worked for 5 hours with one of my co-workers who has some issues, or at least seemed on edge for the entire shift.

It's a busy call centre where you're managing doctors who have drivers and passing them around to patients who call up. My co-worker kept freaking out about addresses, screaming "idiot" after talking to some 80 year old sick woman, and freaking at me with random outbursts like "IS THIS A HOUSE OR AN APARTMENT, WHY DIDN'T YOU WRITE THAT DOWN" in an address that began "Apt 6". Or "DON'T GO ONLINE, IT MAKES THE COMPUTER LOSE CALLS".

Anyway I just laughed it off, and winded her up a bit to amuse myself and also to stand up for myself as I felt she is the kind of person who would have you making tea for her if you gave her an inch. By the end of the shift I'd established that she responds well to insults.

So weird though....anyone had similar co-workers? You almost have to make things surreal to not get dragged down to their level of depression or hatred. I found myself doing things like, when she tensely screams "DID YOU PHONE THAT HOUSE ABOUT THAT CALL".....answering slowly and dimly "WHAT......HOUSE????"

"OH MY GOD YOU DIDN'T DO IT"

"OH THAT HOUSE! YES EILEEN OF COURSE".

It's like being in a soap opera. Apart from joking, part of me wants to just say "you are a vile horrible person and I hate you, you deserve to rot away in this horrible fucking job for eternity" but I guess I have sympathy for her. She is massively obese and unemployable elsewhere really. It honestly feels surreal though, I feel as though I am detached, looking at myself doing the job and laughing.

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:11 (eighteen years ago)

What do you do in these situations? I half thought of telling the manager, but I don't want to have to speak to her either.

I seriously sometimes look around me, in the paltry few hours I do in this stopgap job, and think there isn't a single person, on the phone, in the office, out on the road working for the company, who is moving a muscle or thinking a thought for anything other than MONEY!

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:14 (eighteen years ago)

DO NOT bring carrot cake to work.

― chaki (chaki), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:17 (eighteen years ago)

If you can stand it I guess I'd just leave the woman alone. I agree it's not fair of her to live a life of noisy desperation, but a lot of people who are arseholes seem to be sad and frightened underneath. Of course it's easier to be philosophical about it on some days than others.

― I Tried to Use My Cock as a Bong (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:18 (eighteen years ago)

it sounds like you've found a good way to deal with her. i've found that aside from anything else, trying not to get ruffled (even if it's a HERCULEAN effort of will) and calmly but very firmly holding your ground is the way to go with people like this... basically not acknowledging their weird outbursts, i guess.

― lauren (laurenp), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:19 (eighteen years ago)

did I mention she wears a cloak

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:21 (eighteen years ago)

right. you really need to just back away!

― lauren (laurenp), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:22 (eighteen years ago)

well the cloak explains everything.

― Ms Misery (MissMiseryTX), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:26 (eighteen years ago)

Yes. I wish I could be bothered to go upstairs and find my copy of The Divided Self. I think there was a dude in that who wore a cloak.

― I Tried to Use My Cock as a Bong (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:28 (eighteen years ago)

Haha, I used to know the WEIRDEST dresser, cloaks and tunics and a walking staff and crazy shit...but he was a gem, and is missed now that he's gone.

― Laurel (Laurel), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:43 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.scottsimmons.tv/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/homer-simpson-fat.gif

― chaki (chaki), Saturday, 10 February 2007 23:51 (eighteen years ago)

I knew a guy who wore a wizard's robe. It was actually pretty cool.

― Andrew (enneff), Sunday, 11 February 2007 00:14 (eighteen years ago)

been in this situation many times in the past. you pretty much have to let them know that they are beyond your even slightest consideration (even if it is not true - tho eventually it will be). its the only way to keep someone like that (ie. unhappy and looking for drama/confusion) out of your hair. it will have to get to the point of treating them like a spec with some nice reinforcing casual insults. and i wouldn't feel bad about that at all.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 11 February 2007 00:39 (eighteen years ago)

"You are an extra in my film of life and Catering is wondering how the fuck you've managed to eat through the budget."

― suzy (suzy), Sunday, 11 February 2007 00:53 (eighteen years ago)

I forced my guy to go at midnight and see the last Harry Potter movie. He was unhappy enough about the situation but when he turned around and saw a guy dressed like Snape he said "Great, I'm in line with a guy in a cape." but robes != cape. :( oh the cloak/cape/robe prejudice.

― Ms Misery (MissMiseryTX), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:07 (eighteen years ago)

it's very hard to be stuck with angry, unpleasant, neurotic people and not eventually pick up on those qualities yourself...so much easier to just sink into the routine instead of resisting, sounds like you're doing well with it though. good luck.

― Maria (Maria), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:17 (eighteen years ago)

yes...they drag you down! this is what they want...to drag you down. it's hard not to let them sometimes but you have to create windows for yourself I suppose...plus I know it's a part time job. I don't have to care really.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:34 (eighteen years ago)

Don't say things like "You are an extra in my film of life and Catering is wondering how the fuck you've managed to eat through the budget." You will look like a cunt.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:50 (eighteen years ago)

I dunno, there's a real "laugh at the digusting fat plebs who are forced to do this for a living" subtext to this thread. I'm not accusing you directly Ronan and lord knows people like this can be a fucking nightmare to work with but FFS if you're dealing with someone who is possibly doing the only job they can then you will look fucking awful for answering back to them from your priveleged "only doing this for a bit of spare cash" position.

I suppose I favour old-fashioned things like going to your manager and going "excuse me, this person is clearly depressed and is making life difficult for everyone else" but that's just me.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:54 (eighteen years ago)

Also, they don't want to "drag you down", they probably don't even care about you! (Whether or not this redeems anything is up for debate.)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 11 February 2007 01:56 (eighteen years ago)

i worked alongside someone who had down syndrome once. and with the best will in the world, theres something inside that screams what the hell am i doing here for 12 hours at a time

― Save The Whales (688), Sunday, 11 February 2007 02:03 (eighteen years ago)

At any particular moment in time everyone is doing 'the only job they can' and therefore should develop the appropriate social skills to cope, including the supervisor. What you want to say and what you do say are two different things. Ro wouldn't have taken a job he didn't need and may have to amuse himself by making a tally of how many times in a day he says 'come on Eileen' or something.

I'd favour the MDC approach myself, actually, but sadly it's often difficult to go over the head of such a crap supervisor without looking like even more of an unhappy camper than the person you are having issues with. Is this the case?

― suzy (suzy), Sunday, 11 February 2007 02:09 (eighteen years ago)

You could just look at her next time she yells at you. Say nothing. Just wait for her to scream the question again, and say nothing except look at her in a way that makes it obvious you're trying to be patient and go right back to whatever you were working on. Maybe she'll settle down. If not just use the ignore method. Eventually she'll get the hint I bet..

― dar1a g (daria g), Sunday, 11 February 2007 06:53 (eighteen years ago)

the thing to remember is these people often operate on a weird autopilot level, you think that whatever you do might affect them in some way. but it wont. you could hack them to death, the next day they will be back, just the same

― Save The Whales (688), Sunday, 11 February 2007 07:53 (eighteen years ago)

How do the other people there react? Or are you the only one who works with her directly?

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 11 February 2007 08:08 (eighteen years ago)

http://a628.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/33/l_a752a3975050aa7cbc62ce998469638b.jpg

― Latham Green (mike), Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:12 (eighteen years ago)

Go and read the annoying co-workers thread. We've all got them.

Matt totally and utterly OTM throughout. You're making yourself sound like an arsehole. Why criticise others for working for money? You don't exactly sound like you're there for the love of the job yourself. Also, there are fucking TONS of us who work for money. OK, some of us wind up in jobs we like. That's nice, but don't think for a second I'd still be doing it if I didn't need the money.

Why *don't* you speak to your manager about it if it's bothering you so much. You've just said "I don't want to", but not why not. Is it because you don't think it's actually that much of a problem? Or is she a problem too?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:51 (eighteen years ago)

i dont think he is criticizing others working for money. i think its more about people who seem to focus entirely on money, for who money is the be all and end all. if something is not making you money then it is pointless, that kind of thing

its arguable that in many cases this focus on money as ultimate goal, money is actually standing in as a subconscious representative of self-worth

― Save The Whales (688), Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:54 (eighteen years ago)

Fair enough, I sort of get that, but that's not how it came across to me. I read it as "God, all these people do at work is WORK. And all they're doing it for is in order to get paid for it." Why else would you go to work? It's kind of the point of it. You go in, you do shit, you get paid for it.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:57 (eighteen years ago)

<I>I dunno, there's a real "laugh at the digusting fat plebs who are forced to do this for a living" subtext to this thread. I'm not accusing you directly Ronan and lord knows people like this can be a fucking nightmare to work with but FFS if you're dealing with someone who is possibly doing the only job they can then you will look fucking awful for answering back to them from your priveleged "only doing this for a bit of spare cash" position.

I suppose I favour old-fashioned things like going to your manager and going "excuse me, this person is clearly depressed and is making life difficult for everyone else" but that's just me. </I>

Whoa just saw all this. And Ailsa's post too. First of all the biggest problem is that it's not the kind of place where you have a good relationship, or any kind of relationship, with the manager. You are dirt to them, the only time they deign to speak to you is when asking you to cover a shift at short notice or when telling you to do something this way instead of that way.

I accept yes, this thread is a little ugly, but I think you need to realise what dead end jobs are like, when was the last time either of you did one? In between listening to this woman berate me I have to hear her say "fucking bitch" and "stupid cunt" after speaking to customers (who are sick people looking for doctors).

Nobody has the right to exude so much hatred in the workplace, both directly to a co-worker in the form of ridiculous admonishments (and she isn't my supervisor, she's an equal) and indirectly by just generally announcing by her behaviour that she is in foul humour and cannot keep this to herself.

Everyone has problems, not least the people on the phone, or her co-workers.

To give it some context, sometimes you speak to people who say things like "I'm feeling suicidal..I need a doctor", yet I imagine she says "fucking cunt" after speaking to these too. And when I said I look around and think everyone is just operating for money, I mean because you take so so many calls, each one a sick person, you fill out so many bits of paper, each one a sick a person. So many reports, same deal. And yet it's all so completely dehumanised.

I can't think of a more meaningless job, and when someone blatantly hates it and hates the people phoning up I do think they should go and do something else, or at the very least keep their bitterness from becoming attacks on other workers. So I don't really feel bad about deflecting real nastiness back at my co-worker, if someone behaves like a 10 year old child, ie admonishing their co-worker for "not specifying if it's a house or an apartment" in an address written down as "APT 6..." then it takes great patience not to ridicule them.

Plus I can't abide people attempting to exert authority over co-workers who are their equal, this is horrible behaviour.

― Ronan, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 22:35 (eighteen years ago)

Also I disagree that these people don't care about you...I honestly believe in this kind of work environment, with disrespect and poor management from top to bottom, plus depression and unhappiness and poor morale among staff, that the people who are themselves stuck, and dug in in their employment, DO try and drag others down, and want people to stay, if only to understand their plight.

― Ronan, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 22:45 (eighteen years ago)

Ronan, FWIW I've been doing dead-end jobs since November. I go in, I deal with shit, I come home, I get paid for it - the latter being all that actually matters to me, as it allows me to go and do stuff outside work that isn't work. I also work with someone who can't quite get a grip on what they are dealing with. I posted about it on the sandbox co-worker moron thread.

I work at a centre co-ordinating counselling and stress management services. Someone phoned in, evidently very distressed, I passed them onto a counsellor. Counsellor asked them if they felt they were suicidal or likely to do themselves harm, and would they be safe until a proper referral could be made. Fellow temp found this hilarious, giggling behind her hand to me and asking "what sort of question is that to ask someone?" I'm guessing she's not really cut out for this environment. I don't let her answer the phone.

I'm glad jobs are so easy to come by in your neck of the woods, where she can just "go and do something else", despite the fact you said earlier on that you don't actually think she's capable of it. It's not *your* career, it's a stop gap. Grin and bear it or go and find something else for yourself that you can bear. Sorry mate, you aren't getting much sympathy off me, and pulling the "my job's worse than your job" card won't help.

(hurrah for huggly nu-ILX!)

― ailsa, Wednesday, 21 February 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

No sorry...people DON'T have the right to behave that way in the workplace, if you can find a justification for that kind of behaviour and for taking out aggression and anger on other co-workers and attempting to exert authority over equals for the sake of it then I'd love to hear it.

I'm only saying IF she can only behave that badly then yes she should go and do something else, because it's unacceptable behaviour.

Also I am grinning and bearing it, but work does not have to be miserable, I am also in the process of finding another job and I know I don't have to be there long, but the fact remains bad behaviour is bad behaviour. As soon as it becomes admonishing someone else in an utterly illogical manner and with no fair justification (or right) then that is wrong.

Stop trying to justify this kind of behaviour behind a wall of clichés about pulling my socks up and getting on with it etc. I know everything about getting on with it, I'm working with this hateful cow with a long term illness, you think it doesn't take patience not to just act every bit as badly? I don't want your sympathy and truth be told I think you're just replying here because you identify with the bitterness of my co-worker.

― Ronan, Thursday, 22 February 2007 10:40 (eighteen years ago)

should clarify...she doesn't have a long term illness

― Ronan, Thursday, 22 February 2007 10:40 (eighteen years ago)

Despite what I said upthread, there's nothing worse than people who use their own depression or personal problems as an excuse to act like a cunt to people they work with. It's just fucking unprofessional above all else.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 22 February 2007 10:46 (eighteen years ago)

I agree with ronan and matt DC about people taking sh*t out on coworkers, it is just wrong. the same as taking things out on loved ones/friends. (this spoken from someone with long-term mental illness).

It'd be nice to think maybe your co-worker will shape up (get help, have a positive turn in her life) but maybe that won't happen.

If nothing else, if you are bitter in a dead-end you should be nice to your fellow POWs. You're all in a shitty spot.

― Ms Misery, Thursday, 22 February 2007 18:23 (eighteen years ago)

and truth be told I think you're just replying here because you identify with the bitterness of my co-worker.

Er, no, very VERY far from it. I'm not even remotely bitter about it. At all. I function normally in an office environment because I actually tend to lean towards the antiquated notion that if someone is paying you to behave in a certain manner and do certain things, you do them and I don't get all bitter and frustrated and arsey about it because it's my choice to be that way. But you go on projecting stuff onto me if you like.

― ailsa, Friday, 23 February 2007 08:17 (eighteen years ago)

Are you sure she's suffering from a depression? I mean, in all fairness, she could just have a horrible personality. Acting like she does is not always about being depressed, it could just be she's being an arsehole.

A colleague and I were talking about postnatal depression. She said she cried a lot (after having her baby). She didn't look depressed, so I said: Well, with postnatal depression you'll be crying every day blabla..." not realizing she was indeed in a PN depression. I felt so bad afterwards when she had to take time off and see a therapist. :-( I know, how do you LOOK depressed. You don't usually. I still feel a little guilty about it all. Not seeing the signs when she was clearly very blue. :-(

― nathalie, Friday, 23 February 2007 09:13 (eighteen years ago)

Perhaps Mrs Lardarse is being nasty as a means of deflecting her own distress at dealing with a constant parade of depressed/ill/distressed people. Just a thought, mainly intended to make me look clever. I obvioulsy couldn't give a cock's arse about her.

I don't think there's anything wrong with a cloak. Wouldn't mind one myself. Just practical northern european clothing.

It's not called Catering, it's called Craft. I have no idea why.

― PJ Miller, Friday, 23 February 2007 09:43 (eighteen years ago)

should clarify...she doesn't have a long term illness

You think she's depressed, psychotic and morbidly obese but doesn't have a long term illness? You work in health care?

― onimo, Friday, 23 February 2007 11:09 (eighteen years ago)

"Are you sure she's suffering from a depression? I mean, in all fairness, she could just have a horrible personality. Acting like she does is not always about being depressed, it could just be she's being an arsehole."

Of course this is possible. The reason I say I think she's depressed is because I assume somebody behaving this way must be feeling badly. However I do think she is handling her problems in the wrong way by being abusive. I don't know if clinically you'd call her depressed or not, or psychotic, I have no idea.

But behaviour whereby you lash out at people and create reasons out of no logical thought process whatsoever to do so is unusual and seems pretty bad to me.

Maybe she is just a mean horrible bitch, but I thought I was giving her the benefit of the doubt in saying she's depressed and not in a good mental state at the moment.

"I actually tend to lean towards the antiquated notion that if someone is paying you to behave in a certain manner and do certain things, you do them"

Aside from the fact that I still don't see how someone is paying someone to be needlessly rude and abusive to co-workers, I don't see what you mean here really, how am I not doing what I am paid to do?

As far as I know I'm not paid to be abused by a co-worker, I am paid to be courteous and polite to callers, I find this quite easy normally though it's definitely hampered by having somebody who can't keep their problems to themselves while in the workplace working alongside me.

I still don't see how you can defend this behaviour or act like I'm wrong to find fault with it. It's not acceptable. If all you think is "oh we all have problems, shut up" then I suggest you read another thread, though probably avoid any of the many others on ILE where people discuss a problem they have, just in case you feel this problem is not significant enough for you.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 12:17 (eighteen years ago)

It's funny, I actually think that the most intensely dead-end jobs are vaguely proofed against this kind of stuff because no one has any illusions about what they do at all. It sounds like there is at least some modicum of worth involved with what you're doing there, even if it is automaton-ish etc. I worked at a telemarketing place for $5.00/hr one summer and the atmosphere was great - it was like the last-chance saloon, there was a radio DJ in there putting on his smoothest voice for his callers, another guy who would just deliberately lie, outrageously, about what our offer was.. it was fun in a weird kind of way. Sorry you're having to deal with all this negativity and nastiness, Ronan.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 23 February 2007 12:24 (eighteen years ago)

You think she's depressed, psychotic and morbidly obese but doesn't have a long term illness? You work in health care?

All very well, but the clients/callers are not asking for a lashing out, now are they? It's no excuse to treat people badly.

― nathalie, Friday, 23 February 2007 13:21 (eighteen years ago)

I am trying to decide right now whether to quit this job today....

I have a "provisional" shift subbing with a paper here in 2 weeks, as far as I can tell provisional in this case seems to just mean, it might be in 3 weeks or 2 and a half weeks, rather than it might not happen at all.

I have a lot of stuff on next week and would need to ask for days off, plus I'm already away this weekend. I figure it might be just easier to bite the bullet and quit.

I've saved a lot of money recently and can make a certain amount from DJing and writing in the meantime, also I just feel this job isn't bringing me any closer to what I want to do or worth any experience, and overnight shifts etc interfere with things like writing articles or coming up with freelance ideas.

Still feel a weird difficulty in picking up the phone and quitting, fear maybe, but part of me thinks this is the reason I should quit, to seize the day.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 14:02 (eighteen years ago)

Ro, if you have a long-term illness then overnight shift-work will make you feel worse. Do not actually quit until you know the other work is in hand.

― suzy, Friday, 23 February 2007 14:07 (eighteen years ago)

Probably wisest...just as I said I envisage problems next week, I want to try and write a piece that needs me to be out and about a lot, plus I have to go to a function on the Saturday, and having been away this weekend I reckon there's a good chance I'll be rostered for days where I am unavailable. (there is no real consultation about the roster permitted, unless you say you're going away weeks in advance)

I may just wait till it's done and ring up and say I'm unable to work those days, and if it's a big problem then could just leave, I've signed no contract requiring me to give notice etc.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 14:11 (eighteen years ago)

Quit! Quit quit quit!
if anything is frustrating you to the point where you are asking the internet for advice, then you should quit.
You already made that decision anyway.
You have contacts, and jobs. Go forward!
You will suceed, on your own terms.
be careful about debt. Good luck!

― aimurchie, Friday, 23 February 2007 15:18 (eighteen years ago)

I just quit.

They were quite keen to keep me on, but I did say if they were ever stuck they could ring me and I'd see if I was available. I won't be rostered tho...plus no real obligation anymore.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 15:23 (eighteen years ago)

I almost wish I just said "no, never ring me, ever", but they were nice about it and maybe some weeks I might be glad of a shift just to get some extra cash....best to go on good terms anyway.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 15:24 (eighteen years ago)

Be sure to tell the asshole co-worker "I quit so I wouldn't have to kill you or myself, dingbat."

― Rock Hardy, Friday, 23 February 2007 15:33 (eighteen years ago)

Aside from the fact that I still don't see how someone is paying someone to be needlessly rude and abusive to co-workers, I don't see what you mean here really, how am I not doing what I am paid to do?

Sorry, I was talking about me, since you seem to have it in your head I'm bitter about something like your co-worker and I was trying to demonstrate that I'm not all bitter about the crapness of my job. I hate it, yes. I'm not bitter about it. I do sympathise with you, because I've worked with some arseholes in my time - I've already said I'm working with one now. I was merely agreeing with Matt that you were coming across a bit holier-than-you i'm-better-than-this to start with, when it didn't seem to me to be any worse than some of the rolling moronic co-workers everyone else puts up with on a daily basis.

I'm assuming she keeps these outbursts for after she puts the phone down (I have often been known to flick the Vs at an annoying customer over the phone, whilst maintaining an air of professionalism in my voice), btw? Being a cnut to be around is one thing, but being a cnut to service users/customers is quite another.

I'm not sure what advice you were after other than "quit, you're better than this" (which you've done away, well done, seriously, no sarcasm or bitterness - you *are* better than this). My advice would have been to speak to your manager, but leaving works too :-D

― ailsa, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:10 (eighteen years ago)

beautiful!
You are free AND you have good references and a comfort zone.
Go do whatever you want to do for the next two days.
I suggest a beergarita - the BLAM thread provides an explanation.
Congratufuckinlations!
Enjoy your freedom, while it lasts.

― aimurchie, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:21 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah it is generally after she puts the phone down, well, she wouldn't call someone a "fucking cunt" over the phone but she does really take people to task, ie "GIVE ME THE FULL AND PROPER ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY" etc...

I'm pretty sure the other job will come through anyhow, life is just too short to feel annoyed and stressed about work, plus night shifts really do catch up on you.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

Oh and thanks Ailsa, sorry to have gotten ratty about it.

― Ronan, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:31 (eighteen years ago)

No bother.

~~you fucking cunt~~ :-D

― ailsa, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:34 (eighteen years ago)

OK, bye, bye! Lovely! Brilliant! OK, bye, BYE!

*click*

cunt!!!

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:45 (eighteen years ago)

Cunt!

― Mark C, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:03 (eighteen years ago)

Sorry, but what's wrong with shouting "CUNT!" at the phone after you hang up? Surely it's better than shouting "CUNT!" while you're actually on the phone. We all do it around here. But I suppose we laugh when one another do it, like it's a spirit of solidarity because we all have to talk to the same cunts.

Ah well, good on you for quitting the job, Ronan.

― Masonic Boom, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:09 (eighteen years ago)

Don't think anyone said there's anything wrong with it per se, more when it comes as part of a special, all-in-one package of seething hate and unfocused rage

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:18 (eighteen years ago)

HI DERE

― Mark C, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:26 (eighteen years ago)

eight years pass...

I don't work with him, but he works at the same company I do. But he just told me, "Hey friend, has anyone ever done this to you?" as he grabs a knife to his neck and pushes his head back. "Uh, no, that's..." and he interrupts: "Because that's happened to me. And I tell you, it's a difficult thing...." And I try to get out of it by saying, "I'm so sorry that happened you". But he continued on with a really long war story.

― F♯ A♯ (∞), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 18:22 (ten years ago)

Yikes... like a butter knife or something as a prop?

― Evan, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 18:46 (ten years ago)

er.... yikes.

i worry that some coworkers who walk past my office think i'm a bit mad. i'm in the process of going through stacks and stacks of old papers (left here by my predecessors in this position) and it's a complete mess, so occasionally a stack will fall over or a bunch of papers will flop to the floor and i'll mutter an expletive or two.

― he quipped with heat (amateurist), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 18:49 (ten years ago)

it was an actual knife. he works at our warehouse so he does stock and moves big items/products for us

― F♯ A♯ (∞), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:01 (ten years ago)

i've started thinking about writing what he tells me in a blog. about every other day he has a crazy story he likes to tell me. i'm not sure if this would invade his privacy but i think his stories are just insane

― F♯ A♯ (∞), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:03 (ten years ago)

In the late 90s I worked at a retail furniture chain for a while. Clientele was mostly middle-aged, middle-class mall patrons looking to buy a credenza or plant stand or whatever. Mostly pleasant, mild people. A very low percentage of unbearable lunatics compared to any other retail job I've worked. Anyway, after working there for about a year, we get this new coworker who you could tell was kind of a nerd, but looked strong and was about 10 years older than me and claimed he used to be a bouncer in Miami. This guy would act normal a lot of the time, but then would turn real negative like a flick of a switch.

One day, as the shop is full of customers, he points to an old man and says "don't you just want to bash his head in with a baseball bat?" and mimes swinging a bat.

I called human resources after work and left a message about it. I got a call back from my District Manager and we talked about the situation. Like two days later, the guy walks up to me on a shift and is like "you know, if you have a problem with someone, you should just tell them to their face." And dude never talked about beating up old people in front of me again.

― toucan orca ink (how's life), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:09 (ten years ago)

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