Last week was lab week. Sort of a lab worker appreciation week that management throws every year as a thank you for all the hard work the peole in the lab do. Lunch every day, raffles, games, that kind of thing. A good time is had by all, and it’s one of the reasons I like the place I work so much.
At any rate. Our file clerk, a very nice kid who knocks himself out every day, won a boom box. A fairly nice one. I thought to myself “how cool, because the antenna’s busted on the old one he has. He’ll be so stoked!” (He wasn’t there, had already left for the day when we raffled it off.)
Well. The day ends, and one of my coworkers tells me “So. Did you see what Joan did?” I’m a little scared to ask what, as this woman is drama waiting to happen. I say “nooo…” and wait for it.
Joan picked up Elliott’s boom box and offered to carry it upstairs for him. His manager says fine, thanks, that’d be great. Does she do this? Yes and no. She carries it upstairs. And puts it under her desk! And leaves a note on Elliott’s monitor: “Come see me Monday.” Why, you ask? Well, see, she’s upset. She only won a $20 gift cert from Best Buy. She didn’t feel that was enough. So she is going to give Elliott the option of taking either the boom box or the gift cert. Because, you see, he already has a boom box. And, she doesn’t.
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
WHAT??? HE WON IT, YOU THEIVING CUNT! Not you! He’s 17 years old. He’s a nice, polite kid. You’re a harpy. If you push it, he won’t stand up for himself. He’ll say, “fine, Joan, take the radio, thank you for the gift cert.” And that will be that. You know that. That’s why you did it! GAH!! So, I thought about it all weekend. Either I stick my big nose in where it doesn’t belong (and feel like crap for doing it), or I let the kid get screwed (in which case I feel like crap for not saying anything). I get in a good two hours before she does. (yes, she does report to me, btw). I took her some paperwork to finish up, looked down and saw the boom box there under her desk. And got totally pissed off. What a SHIT thing to do! Who does that? So, I went and put it on Elliott’s chair. And send him an email. “Congratulations! You won!”
Joan comes in. And immediately goes over to my coworker and asks “Where’s my boom box? WTF?” I say “Oh. Joan, I saw you brought that up for Elliott. Thank you. I put it on his desk.” “You WHAT?? Why would you do that? I was going to give him the option of taking the gift cert or the boom box!” “But Joan. He won it.” “But he HAS one!” “Yes, the antenna’s broken. But that’s not the point. The point is, He. Won. It. It’s his.” She scowls. “Fine. Just fine. Whatever.” And flounces off. Coworker is trying to laugh as silently as possible. She’s shaking. Coworker #2 has her office door closed, and emails me that she had to, or Joan would hear her laughing.
Look. I get that you wanted it. But, dammit. Can’t you just go get yourself one? You won a $20 gift cert. Go to Best Buy. With that, you can probably get the same exact one for the card and another $20. You don’t need to bend over my file clerk. You bitch.
