Just a little background – I am a very antisocial/asocial type of person (yes, I know the difference between the two and yes, I display traits of both, not talking about diagnosis, just traits). I don’t make friends easily, and I don’t consider most people that I work with “friends.” Heck, I don’t even use the term “acquaintance” until I have actually spoken with a coworker more than twice. Yeh, I am that person.
I started my current job (in a call center, great job for my personality, all cubes, no interaction forced or required with anyone other than the voice at the other end of the phone lines) about a year ago. There are 2 people with whom I actually choose to interact. A younger girl who shares my personality traits and with whom I tend to get along well and may actually enjoy hanging out with outside of work if time/opportunity ever presented, and an older lady who had weight loss surgery recently (I am almost 2 years post-op, so it is more of a mentor situation than friendship). Aside from that, I simply just don’t want or need more friends. I guess my boss and coworkers are ok but…well, you know, I guess I kind of see it like this – if you’re going to write me up or fire me do that, but don’t make me feel any worse than I already do, ya know? My boss has said to me that “we will talk” about this later today. I hate that. I know that calling out 2 hours into my shift is uncool, but I also know that it is not like it is a habit I have, y’know?
So, yesterday was my birthday, and of course my driver’s license expired. I went to get it renewed and the DMV was having computer problems. Long story short – by the time I realised I was late for work, it was 2 hours into my shift. I borrowed some stranger’s cell phone and called. I got voicemail and left a message. By the end of the day, I still did not have my DL, but had wasted my birthday, so went home and called my boss again to apologise for being so late calling out. I got the VM again and left another message. I then heard someone pounding on my front door. It was a sheriff. WTH? I opened the door cautiously and asked what was going on and the guy informed me that my boss called the police because they were concerned about me (since I didn’t call and my husband is out of town for the week, they were worried). I thanked the cop, told him where I had been and that I had, in fact, called my work. Not just once, but twice. I assured him I would call them again and that everything was fine.
So, my question to the dopers – is this excessive? I think it is. Granted, this is a small-ish business. Not in dollars/worth, but it terms of number of employees (I would guess at less than 200), but still. I guess it speaks volumes for my work ethic that my boss would assume me dead for not calling within the first 2 hours, but …I don’t know…I just have to know what you guys think.