I Don't Want to Hear It, In As Many Words

WAM is back after being off for a week. During that time, I had to do WAM's work, and the work of the other person in the group who was out of the office unexpectedly. It has not been four pleasant days of work, to say the least.

This morning, Adolf (probably on WAM's status report) had to re-designate everyone's tasks because WAM's work is falling behind to an unacceptable level. This happens sometimes, and I understand that, I've been on the receiving end of my co-workers help before. What pissed me off about it, other than the fact that I'm really not the best person for the job they've given me (I'm just the only person), is when WAM came up to me this morning.

WAM approached about an hour ago and knelt like she was going to be in my cube for a while. She started by saying she was having a bad morning back, and mentioned that she didn't have the best of time off either but wasn't going to talk about that. I countered with my usual "then why do you bring it up if you're not going to talk about it?" WAM tried to start again about her morning, and I turned around (I usually continue working when people I don't care to talk to come up to me) and told her I didn't want to hear it. I elaborated that I had to cover for her and for the other person in our group who was not there and that translated into a rather awful time at work over the holidays when everyone else has days off. I repeated I didn't give a damn about how pissed off she was about her morning; she's been off for a week and will get no sympathy from the person who hasn't been off. WAM mumbled something about how her time off wasn't great as she huffed away.

Strangely enough, I don't think this is going to result in one of WAM's trademark complaints to Adolf. The truth is, she really has no leg to stand on as far as complaining to me (or about me not wanting to hear it). For one, it's never wise to complain about how far behind your work is to the person who had to do your work in your absence. For two, she was absent and I was not; if she didn't have a good time off, it's her own fault. I think I'd gladly exchange her awful holiday away for my awful days here. My dad and I used to say "a bad day sailing is better than a good day at work." The same can be said of vacation time.

So, I'm hammering away at this frightfully boring and tedious and annoying cipher of work that is so important to the function of the business that management saw it fit to put the least apt person to the task. And, WAM seems to have a cold. She's hacking up a lung right now.

Hmmm... it's almost been a year. I'll be able to apply to the CIA again soon.... Not that I'm that interested in working there now.