There are patches of hair missing from my scalp. I am guessing those patches are linked to the hair being held tightly in my own clenched fists. I am not entirely sure which moment resulted in my yanking out part of my glorious crown, but I have a very good idea what, or more accurately, who, precipitated the actual event.
It’s my co-worker. He’s driving me nuts. And since I often work alone on the farm, I’ll give you only one guess as to whom I might be referring.
This time around it has nothing to do with his tendency to eat my lunch (and not even leave a note of apology - the nerve!). It’s not because he always uses my favorite digging spade when I want to use it or the fact that he’s always challenging me with questions while being such a know-it-all at exactly the same time. It’s not the loud music - or the quiet music - that he plays.
It’s not even the fact that he always seems to be hanging around. In fact, he seems to be more present during those moments when I’m alone - which can get pretty irritating. I should know because everywhere I go, there I am.
Not the only idiot
I have enough work experience outside of working for/with myself to know that I am not the only idiot currently in the work force. I have my fair share of stories from prior employment that would probably do well on some “top-ten co-worker oopsies at the workplace” web site.
Some of these “oopsies” are pretty funny in retrospect. For example, I actually DID receive a phone call from a person who was not used to their new desktop computer and they were complaining that their cupholder on the machine had broken off. I know most computers don’t have them now, but they were using the CD tray to hold their coffee and it didn’t fare too well in that capacity.
Then there was the time a person tried to put the floppy disk into the slot BETWEEN two disk drives rather than the slot that was meant for the disk. I tried to help that person avoid excessive embarrassment, but it was hard to do when I had to take the machine apart to get the disk back.
On the plus side, the computer was fine and, amazingly, so was the disk. As far as my co-worker’s pride was concerned, it took time to grow back. I suspect there wasn’t too much scarring as they had a fairly healthy ego.
Most of the idiotic things co-workers do are actually, once you back up and get a little perspective, not as terrible as they seemed at first. They are often inconvenient, sometimes funny, and almost always forgivable. That last is especially true if it is clear that they will do what they must to learn from whatever event led them into the realm of … um…. less than stellar activity at the workplace. And we all have moments where the brain just doesn’t engage. If we can’t forgive those, then there is no forgiveness for ourselves.
Accidents are just that. Accidents. They happen. We all get a little upset. We deal with the issue. We move on.
But the best at being an idiot?
The good (or bad) news is that I was raised well by my parents. At least that’s what I’ve been told. So, I limit my venting to a very small group of people (alas for Tammy, my lovely bride) when I encounter a situation where co-worker idiocy happens. Otherwise, I do my best to be kind and, when appropriate, give constructive suggestions or criticisms that are framed in a positive way.
But, it does get pretty annoying when my co-worker (yes, we’re back to talking about the co-worker I never can get away from at the farm) doesn’t seem to accept those well thought out tidbits of wisdom.
For example, I told him to make one, or maybe two, areas to hold all of the things that we will take to metal recycling drives this year. Do it in the early spring months, I said. Do it before the grasses get long and other tasks take priority. Do it before it gets too hot and have it ready to go so you can react when you hear about a metal drive.
Did my co-worker (me) listen?
No.
This guy procrastinates when he should take initiative. Falls back on the old ways when he should innovate. And, gosh darn it, he makes some mistakes more than once. Heck, sometimes, he just seems to enjoy making the same mistake over and over again.
It’s enough to make me consider finding new employment. But, I bet this guy will follow me if I do.
Thanks, Rob. I know that idiot well, too. He lives at my house!
(A lesson I learned early in life was, never make two lists: "Dumb Things I've Done" and "Smart Things I've Done". and then compare them directly. It would be too depressing.)
Hang tough, Rob.