eating it with a big fat spoon

let's see...generic downplay.....i've wanted to get this off my chest for a while. so here it is. in an ice cream dish. because today, it got sweeter.

i had a screaming match with a co-worker last month. i called him an asshole. he is an asshole. he always seems to be in a bad mood and he takes that funk and spreads it around to everyone working with him. he belittles the passengers. he can't seem to figure out how to stand up straight, (ie, he is always leaning on something, anything nearby that can support his weight. and i'm not saying he's fat. he's not.) he is frequently sighted walking away to talk on his cell phone (which no one is supposed to carry with them anyway) and sometimes someone has to go looking for him when he is needed and can't be found. once, i asked a person of management why he is so grumpy all the time and she simply stated, "he is miserable here." well. that makes one hell of an excuse for surliness, doesn't it? i have tried being more sympathetic with him but it is really hard to be nice to someone who is snarling and asking you to do their job for them at the same time, while walking away.

on the day of the aforementioned tantrum, we were working with two other individuals. these two don't often work with us, as they are "overnighters" pooled from several different stations and rotated around the airport as needed, or so i understand it. these two people were berating passengers to their faces, purposefully making fun of them and their clothing, being loud and obnoxious and the three of them put together made for one helluva lousy work environment. by the time we got our breaks, i had had enough and needed somewhere to vent. i informed my supervisor of their unprofessional behavior before i went on break. in the break room, i let a bunch of people know that i had spoken to the supervisor about the demeaning attitudes of the overnighters. a few people nodded in agreement and voiced their opinions about their conduct at that time. in a low voice someone mentioned mr. surly and his usual helpfulness in holding up the metal columns. that is when i opened my big fat mouth and said, "he's just being an asshole. that's normal for him."

i could have said jerk. i could have omitted the first sentence and made a non-committal "psh. yeah." i could have stuffed a mouthful of oatmeal in my maw and nodded furiously in agreement. but i said asshole. and all hell broke loose. see, i didn't know he was in the adjacent room.

he came screaming around the corner, demanding to know what makes him an asshole. i proceeded to tell him. did i mention that he's about 15 inches taller than me? he interrupted me often, not letting me finish one sentence, (thereby not actually hearing what made him an asshole) until it boiled down to him stating an ominous "let that be the last time my name comes out your mouth," with his arms raised over my head. yes. i felt threatened. six people watched him leave the room and immediately said, "yeah. i saw that. yeah. you can use my name." one person continued to eat her breakfast in silence as if she hadn't seen a damn thing. and i'm OK with that too, i guess.

ten minutes later i went to find him to try to talk calmly to him and apologize for shooting off my mouth. i don't like bad blood, no matter how it starts. he was already filing an incident report. and the overnighters? every other sentence out of their mouths in my earshot was, "don't act like an asshole. nope, can't be an asshole here. no assholes on this lane. are you being an asshole?" and on and on and on it went. at least i had the decency to swear in private, not in front of the passengers. no wonder we have a bad name, right? no, nothing was said or done to those two.

i was asked to provide a written statement. i did, including all of the things that qualified mr. surly as an asshole in my book (as stated in paragraph one). i got a talking-to. i was told i would get some sort of punishment because they have to do something when a complaint is lodged, if for no other reason than to say, "see? we did something. we washed her mouth out with soap" i never got to see his statement.

until this past weekend.


he pulled the race card.

may i be permitted to say, "asshole?" just one more time? just once?

needless to say, i did NOT sign the letter admonishing my behavior. i told them i refused to be accused and take responsibility for actions that did not take place. i also said i had six witnesses that were just waiting to be called upon, if necessary. there is more. but i am unsure about what i am allowed to say, since the "more" is currently wrapped up in a neat little bow a few desks up from my supervisor.

on to today and my big fat spoon.....

mr. surly has had an exceptional past month. always on time. rarely seen on his phone. running bins back and forth and almost anticipating when he's going to be called to help out with something. gee, it's almost like he's doing his real job, for real! i have been working OT as often as i can, just so i don't get assigned on a part-time lane with him. i can ignore someone to a point. when we have to communicate, we do. succinctly. i asked to be assigned somewhere else (not on his lane) this morning, and i am so glad i did. i think he has reached his limit of goodliness. four separate complaints were lodged against him today (TODAY ALONE!) for being off-site when he was needed. FOUR. and none of them were from me. he had to be hunted down (guess where he was hanging out? with his two buddies, maybe??) twice yesterday as well.

my supervisor's sup has taken note of my professional behavior both with the passengers and with my co-workers, including mr. surly, in the past month. none of my behavior has changed at all. well, except that i look around the room very carefully before i open my mouth to say anything while on break. not even "how is the weather?" he has also taken note of mr. surly's behavior. i feel like a little kid gloating, "you're gonna get in trouble...you're gonna get in trouble..." but i am actually just letting him knock himself out. and you know what? because i'm generally a nice person (who happens to swear a lot) i almost *almost* feel bad for him.

but i am not a racist and i never will be. that will stick in my craw for a good long while. so go rot, mr. surly.