My first year with the company, Janet mentioned she wasn’t going to the company Christmas party because it was a long drive. Since she lives close to me, I offered to give her a ride if she wanted to go. Robyn and I took her, and for the next several weeks my co-workers were mad at me for bringing her. These days, I understand a little better.
The last time I talked to Janet, she was telling me that a woman in Texas just gave birth to a 38 pound baby. I told her that was impossible, and she got all offended and stormed off. Some quick googling gave me confidence that I was right, considering the largest babies I could find on the internet were in the low 20-pound range. She was offended that I told her she was wrong.
Janet was my co-worker until she retired last summer. Today, I found out what I already thought was true: nobody liked Janet. She is a very outspoken “Christian” woman who seems to think it is her business to publicly damn anyone who does anything wrong (especially gambling and alcohol), regardless of how messed up her life is. I understand why people don’t like her… she’s incredibly difficult. She spoke down at pretty much everyone in the office. I tried on several occasions to befriend her, but it was rough.
At the Christmas 2003 Office Gift Exchange, Janet got pissed when someone “stole” the lottery tickets that she received. Gambling is totally wrong… yet she wanted those scratchoffs and acted like a 5-year-old when she didn’t get her way. She also publicly villified a co-worker who gifted a bottle of wine in the exchange.
At the Christmas 2oo4 Office Gift Exchange, Janet literally had a meltdown. She didn’t even bring a gift, but she wanted to be part of the action. A co-worker (the guy who prompted us to call Toby a ‘goat’) gave her a bottle of Asti he received as a gift earlier that same day so that she could be in the exchange. Alcohol is totally wrong… yet she accepted the bottle so that she could get what she wanted. When she opened a very nice homemade ornament, she said “I don’t want this damn thing” for all the world to hear. You could hear a pin drop. Imagine how the person who made the ornament felt! Janet then proceeded to get up out of her chair and try to steal someone else’s gift. She had to be physically restrained and told that it wasn’t her turn anymore. Amazing.
Today, we had the annual Exchange. One of the ‘gifts’ was a framed photograph of Janet. Everyone was cracking up. For the next 10 minutes, most of the office was engaged in a “we’re so glad she’s gone” discussion, reliving Janet’s worst moments as an employee. What a sad legacy. I hope they don’t talk about me like that when I’m gone.
the 38 pound baby thing is NOT impossible. of all people, you should know that.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY THE TOBE!