Which is exactly what Maureen did. Good for her!
I only ever feel the urge to post something when I disagree strongly with something or hold a unique view, but after three pages of "Well done’s"s I should of realised the problem was my own misunderstanding. Back to lurking…
I’m not sure anyone was saying that. The impression I got was that TC does not have a mental illness, but someone was concerned that she might claim one in order to absolve herself from responsibility.
Unfortunately your opinion lacked real world insight in how to deal with selfish nutjobs like Joan. Maureen was 100% right to take the boombox away from the crazy bitch who misappropriated it and wsa going to try to manipulate someone else for no justification and then likely end up throwing a fit to a juvenile. Bosses are supposed to step in and take charge of potentially troublesome conflicts like this. This wsa 100% the best way to handle it, from my experience, and your hands off approach just would have made things much worse.
No harm no foul. 
Don’t stop posting on account of this little trifle of a thread, please.
Rilch, she doesn’t actually have a “mental illness.” I am under the impression her meds are hormone replacements for menopause. Her mood swings used to be epic. Now they’re merely distracting and annoying.
I won’t. But I promise I will be more attentive next time. I feel better knowing you don’t hold this against me. Here’s hoping that future meltdowns only produce an amusing story and nothing more.
She drove her car into a pole… :snicker:
Well, Zoe, there you go. No one’s picking on a mentally disabled person. (In this scenario.)
Possibly. I admit that I have no real world experience on the issue. For the sake of completeness here’s my interpretation of the situation and how I invision dealing with it (ATTN: NOT HOW ACTUAL EVENTS TRANSPIRED!):
First, even though it was a workplace event, it was a social gathering (a gift raffle), thus not work-related. So from an ethical viewpoint authority does not play a role in it.
Worst case scenario, abridged (might need tweaking some details):
Selfish Nutjob (SN) hoards the boombox all to herself but keeps quiet. Says she’s keeping it to give to Innocent Teenager (IT) but intends to coerce him into swapping gifts. Kind Hearted Boss (Maureen) has a sneaking suspicion. Before SN has the chance, Maureen talks to IT and says: “Look, SN has your boombox. Says she’s keeping it for you but knowing her it’s likely the she will try to pressure you or guilt trip you into exchanging the gift certificate she got for your boombox. Don’t let her do this. You have every right to that boombox. You won it, it’s yours. Just tell her that you’re not interested and that you’re anxious to try the new boombox. Even if you have one already, you should take the new one. Offer no justifications to SN. Tell her she can swap the $20 for the boombox with the broken antenna if you’re so inclined. That’s up to you. If she gives you any grief don’t argue with her, come back to me”.
IT goes to see SN.
IT: Hey SN, I saw your note. What was it that you wanted to talk about?
SN: You won this boombox but since you don’t really need it, you can have my $20 gift certificate instead. blah blah blah.
IT: No thanks, I think I’ll just take the boombox, looks awesome!
SN: WHAT? No way, because BLAH BLAH BLAH!
IT: Look SN, I’m really not interested in the gift certificate. it was nice of you to keep the boombox for me, now I’ll just take it if you don’t mind.
SN: starts losing it
IT: OK, let me know when I can have my prize.
It goes back to Maureen, explains what happened. Maureen goes to see SN.
Maureen: I saw that IT came in to see you and I went there to ask if he liked his gift but he said you still had it. What’s up with that?
SN: offers crazy rationalization for nutty behaviour
Maureen: rips into SN, takes boombox to IT or rips into SN, goes to see uber-boss
Fade from IT filing paperwork listening to Metallica on his new boombox
The End.
What “jump”? You told the guy to go back to lurking, implying that he shouldn’t participate further in the discussion. Don’t blame me for drawing the most logical conclusion from your words.
“Most logical conclusion” my ass. I was implying that he shouldn’t participate further solely because his line of argument was a dead end. In case you haven’t noticed, he took my comments in stride.
You, however, accused me of thinking he was spouting bullshit and that he shouldn’t participate in the conversation at all. Uri Geller, you ain’t.
That’s certainly true. He was bending spoons.
I, on the other hand, am involved in an exchange with someone who’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
And here we have a perfect illustration of the difference between intentions and action. In the situation described in the OP, intentions and actions matched. Taking Lute Skywatcher at his word, his intentions and actions didn’t.
That said, “do yourself a favor and go back to lurking” is a rotten thing to say.
He also claims to be a mind reader. mhendo, we already know that you’re a clueless git; there’s no need to continuosly prove it.
I didn’t intend it that way. mhendo assumed the worst from the start, after Pedro had decided it was no big deal.
…and the Pit works its magic once again, building a fight where none is necessary!
Guys, 'twas a simple misunderstanding. You’ve just failed your will-saves against the Pit’s magic. No need to scuffle.
Daniel
Yeah? What’s that, some kind of slam against D&D players?
Well fuck you man, fuck you!
Small nitpick. It wasn’t a random gift-raffle. These were gifts the company bought for the employees, so it was very work-related.
Other than that, your scenario may have worked. Mo just chose to handle it a different way.
Don’t look at me, I’m in room 12.
And i don’t, which is precisely why i read your words literally. Besides, with you as the object of study, being a mind-reader would take a better microscope than i have handy right now.
But you wrote it that way.
M: Did Too!
LS: Did Not!
M: Did Too-o!
LS: Did No-ot!
M: Did Too-o-o!
LS: Did No-o-ot!
M: Did Too-o-o-o!
LS: Did No-o-o-ot!
M: Did Too-o-o-o-o!
LS: Did No-o-o-o-ot!
I see a pattern emerging.
I know you are, but what am i?
(OK, OK, i’ll stop now. This really is a counterproductive hijack)