Verbatum Impersonal Questioning

Ok, there may have been some confusion about the last post. The remarks were yet again made by someone at work, not the same person as last time, but someone new. Someone I took an instant dislike to.....and without my influence other people dislike too. We now are placing bets as to whether this person will last any longer than six months with the company.

Wednesday 8am, I stroll into work early, unpack my flask and cold drinks and this person walks over. I turn on pc ready to quietly sit and read blogs and sip my milky coffee before starting work. Here's the conversation word for word (verbatum) with relevant capital letter indicating emphasis on relevant, annoying, words. Remember this person has known me for only two weeks, in working terms thats six days, 7 1/2 hours per day = 45 hours.

W = Whiskyminx
RP = Relevant Person

RP- Wow! Do you have an energy drink EVERY day.
W - Only at work
RP- WHY?
W - I need it due to my illness
RP- WHAT illness
W - I Have Crohn's Disease (already feeling uncomfortable talking about my disease to someone I hardly know!)
RP_ WHAT'S THAT!
W - Ulceration of the bowel, anywhere from the mouth to bowel (standard answer to this question)
RP- So I guess the tablets you take make you SLEEPY so you need the ENERGY DRINK to keep you AWAKE.
W - Sort of
RP- Do you have kids
W - No not yet (standard answer) ( I normally reply here with a sense of humour either, too busy practising, or hubby is a big enough kid as it is)
RP- HOW long have you been married
W - Fifteen years this year
RP- YOU'VE been married for FIFTEEN YEARS and you DON'T HAVE KIDS!!!
W - Yes, but we've been together for 20 years (trying to firstly, understand why she is asking me such questions, and create some sort of distraction)
RP- But WHY don't you have kids
W - (by now beginning to lose my temper and my cool) As yet I haven't been healthy enough
RP- But I have TWO KIDS how can you cope with NO kids, and your ILLNESS as well
W - I just do, I have a sense of humour (thinking unlike you) that helps me through.
RP- Wow, where I come from EVERYONE has kids

I now undo my flask, pick up my cup and decide to fill it with warm calming coffee, rather than throw the heavy mug at her head from two feet away.
W- Oh well.

Thankfully at this point she walks away, how she didn't feel my eyes burning into the back of her head I don't know. The Gentleman walks in, and he instantly knows something is wrong. I blurt something out in a whisper, and then spend the rest of the morning in such a foul mood, that even J who sits opposite me is scared to talk to me "in case you bite my head off", and the customers are asking if I am ok.

Still fuming after lunch, I decide to take a "personal affair" toilet trip, cry my eyes out for four minutes to get it out of my system, and then am back to normal.

Supervisor S knew something was wrong, she asked me at least eight times if I was ok. I don't want to mention this to Supervisors or management. I don't want it to seem as if Whisky is ganging up on the New Girl just because she comes from a different country. And no its not America or Germany!!!!!

I know she has had a completely different upbringing, one that is obviously led by being forthright, extremely curious, and extremely uncaring and unsympathetic towards how others might feel by her probing.

I've decided, and I've already acted on my decision. I will answer her work related questions willingly, showing no dislike. Her personal questions next time will be met with my sarcasm. I WILL turn it around somehow without making a fool of myself. She HAS to learn that people have feelings, and not everyone is up to her standards.

I also have to reiterate here, that everyone else at work is wonderful. I am within the most supportive sales, and customer service, and technical team I could be (excluding the new entry). The directors and my manager have been more supportive regarding my return to work than I could ever have imagined. I have never had a cross word with anyone I work with, unless they have annoyed me, and that takes a LOT.

How many people can walk around a company of one hundred office staff, and everyone asks how you are, did you have a good night, weekend, if there's anything I can do to help just give me a shout, AND KNOW that they mean it.

I am lucky to work for a company that treats you as an individual, not a number or an automaton. Where even the Managing Director asks about your health, say's it's good to have you back at work, and sends you a Birthday card! Where the sales manager always says hello, compliments you on ringing the bell for a £10,000.00 order, and winks everytime he walks past you (In a non sexual way!!!).

Where both your supervisor, and you manager thank you for the work put in every day, and I mean EVERY day. It's a pleasure to be there. Yes it's damned hard work, keying up to 200 orders a day, or processing up to 600 edi orders, deadlines to meet, as well as taking calls, solving problems etc etc. But we are admired for our work! We are thanked for our work! We enjoy being together as a team, and that is wonderful.

Yes I look forward to the weekend, my weekend starting on a Thursday night. I want to go into work on Friday's, but knowing the lack of sleep would do me no good I don't. Hubby home at the weekends leaving on Sunday night. The only thing that stops me from going into work on a Monday (free from pay), is taking my Mum to Morrisons and Tesco to help with Dad not driving any more. Then Monday night, I watch my pre recorded Supernatural, drool over Jensen Ackles, and go to bed looking forward to getting up at 6.30am and going into work...............and anyone who knows me from previous jobs will know that for me that is a miracle....hehehehehehehehe!

Anyway, I think I've made up for not blogging for a week and a bit, apart from the shirt post the other day.

Love and hugs to all, especially Holli and Nana.

Whisky

xxxxxx