I used to work for a guy who thought because he was married to an Asian woman he could make blanket statements about them no matter how offensive, even to my Chinese co-worker. He would constantly refer to things his wife or daughter did as “like a typical Asian woman.” And one time after giving us our Xmas gifts, called the Chinese co-worker into his office. She came out seething and red-faced a few minutes later and told me he listed off several suggestions of what he’d like US to buy HIM for the holidays and as if that wasn’t bad enough, added “I’m just telling you this because I know how much Asians like to reciprocate.” Arrrgh!
I supervised a woman who went on her hour lunch break, saying she had a doctor’s appointment (her annual gyno exam), and she never came back. She didn’t call to say she was sick, so I was worried about her. We worked in a very rough part of town. Anyway, I called the doctor’s office asking what time she left the office. The office wouldn’t release any information, including whether she had ever been there. So we made a call to the local police dept. telling them that we had a missing employee and to keep a look out for a blonde heavy-set woman.
Two hours later, she called me “from the hospital” to report that she had been attacked in the parking lot of the doctor’s office by a man with a knife! She was okay, just a couple wounds, but that she would be out for a couple days. I suppose that was a pretty good excuse for missing work, huh?
It turns out that my naivete was showing. A cop called back the next day to check on the status of the the missing employee. I told him the horrific story of her attack, and he kind of laughed and asked where the doctor’s office was. I told him and he said, “Funny, that’s my jurisdiction, and I haven’t heard anything about a knife attack.” He was telling us in a roundabout way that she was lying. We couldn’t really bust her on it, though, because of privacy issues.
Anyway, after the third such excuse (Excuse #2: My neighbor had a heart attack and I had to help resuscitate her), we discovered that she was a pathological liar.
voguevixen,
Your “dumb as a box of rocks” co-worker doesn’t have a second job at my hospital does she? She sounds painfully like the rascist girl I work with–always saying stupid things, not realizing (how could she not!!!) that they are offensive. She also just says things that are ridiculous to the point that there really is no way to classify them. Example:
This is a conversation we had a few weeks ago–
Her: (looking at the October schedule) Why did you take off for Halloween?
Me: It’s a religious holiday.
Her: No it is not!
Me: Yes, it is. It is Samhain. It is the New Year.
Her: For who?
Me: Some pagan religions. (I was busy at the time and couldn’t get into a religion discussion with her, thus they general answer.)
Her: You’re not pagan!!
Me: Yes, I am.
Her: (laughing) No, you’re not.
WHAT?? She is so stupid!
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
EvilBeth, I’d suspect your co-worker was laughing because she thought you were joking. Few people go around saying that they’re “pagan.” Pagan has a negative connotation to it, much like the word heathen. But, of course, you knew that.
Evilbeth, I suspect your co-worker is just STUPID like the gal I work with! I had a similar conversation with her today.
Her: “Are you married?”
Me: “yes”
“how old are you?”
“28”
"You are?
“Yes”
“Really?!?!”
“YES”
“Do you have kids?”
“No”
“Do you want them?”
“No.”
“Not ever?”
“Not ever.”
“Are you sure?”
“YES, absolutely.”
“How can you be sure?”
ARRRRRRRRGH!
oh, and since she’s seen me look into the upcoming patients’ files to see what I need to set up she’s taken to going out and reading them too – even though she has NO IDEA what anything in them means! What does she think? That she’s fooling us into thinking she’s a busy bee or something? Does she think she’s going to somehow randomly absorb the knowledge she needs to decipher anything in there? Ugh! So ANNOYING!
http://www.physco.com/index.htm
Don’t work there and don’t feel right aspousing my feelings of them ;).
I don’t know, voguevixen, I think my co-worker and I had that same conversation last week…I think they are the same person. (OK, so it wasn’t that EXACT conversation–I’m 25, not 28.) (Actually, just turned 25 today!! Happy Birthday to me…Happy Birthday to me…)
PunditLisa, I might have to agree with you if this particular co-worker was not the least intelligent person I have ever met.
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
HAPPY Birthday!
A pagan and a Scorpio. Are you Wiccan or do you follow another path? Me: gay druid…liberal commie homo type. 
HUGS!
Sqrl
Gasoline: As an accompaniement to cereal it made a refreshing change. Glen Baxter
EvilBeth-
Today is my birthday also, and I can remember 25. May you have many more!
Thank you, thank you!!! (Sorry about the delay in responding–I only post at work [with my boss’s permission 
] and I am off on Thursdays and Fridays.
SqrlCub–Although it seems to be an unpopular choice on this board, I have to say that my spiritual beliefs are patchwork in nature. My basic beliefs and philosophies incorporate elements from Wicca, Dr. Seuss, Star Wars, Christianity, Church of Satan, Walt Whitman and numerous other places. I have had individuals tell me that these are all things that I “like”, not things I believe and adhere to. However, I assure you that the very essense of my spirituality contains significant elements from all of the aforementioned sources! So far as religion goes, I don’t think spirituality can be contained and given a set of rules and procedures so I don’t really adhere to specific dogma. Now aren’t you sorry you asked?
(Side note–“gay druid…liberal commie homo type.”–my favorite combination!!
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
I’ve got two “pieces of work” at my place of employment. One is the Bathroom Hummer – breaks into showtunes whilst sitting on the pot. The other one started tapdancing in the elevator (it was just the two of us). I was glad it was a short ride.