When the former co-worker calls

So there you are eating your lunch catching up on emails that came through while you were watching Maury on the elliptical at the gym when the phone rings. You answer and the voice on the other end makes you drop your fork in your lap, your eyes widen and you mouth the words “Oh Shit, not again”.

No it isn’t a call from your kids’ school, it’s your former co-worker. You know the one you tried to get along with because you liked her as a person but the work her was Satan’s mistress so you cut all ties, yeah her. She called to tell you she had a new job and needed your help. You, trying to forgive every shitty thing she did to you, decide in a weak moment to help her. So you put your lunch aside and look up the information she asked for. She thanks you in her overly sticky sweet fashion and you think she is going to say good bye so you can go back to your now cold lunch when this comes out of her mouth:

“So are you still doing less then what I did when I had you job?”

A cold chill washes over you, you feel your face pinch like you just ate a bug and murdery thoughts fill you mind.

Yep that was me, when SHE called.

For ten years I have dealt with HER. SHE had my job many many years ago when position was just the Office Manager/Receptionist. When I started SHE was part time and SHE had no trouble telling me every day she worked that I didn’t do as much as SHE did when she had that job. Since SHE had been there longer then me I didn’t think I had the right to tell HER that SHE was right, I didn’t do as much as she did, I did twice of what SHE did because she couldn’t multi-task.

SHE left our company and for a short time I was able to live without HER evil gloom over my head and then it happened, they hired her back in a position that I had to work with everyday!  To make it worse we were each other’s backups. So every day I had to hear how I didn’t do her job or my job correctly.

Why do you ask did I take her crap? Because I didn’t feel arguing with a person with such a skewed sense of reality would help matters. If you argued with her things just got worse. Yes I miserable but I knew that one day I would be free of her and all this would be placed in that “things that made me stronger or could be used in my insanity defense” file buried deep in my brain. Besides I was able to do my job and I knew I did well even if SHE didn’t think so.

Well then the day came when she had herself one heck of a breakdown. I did feel bad for her because she could be very nice and caring when she wasn’t back stabbing you, throwing salt in the wound then covering it with an acid coated band-aid. I tried to be supportive but she was beyond that point and finally quit a month after another co-worker quit and there I was doing my job, the other co-worker’s job and HER job.

That was three years ago. No replacement for any of those folks had been hired. I have a one day a week assistant but I still do all three jobs. At times it is maddening and I have had a few breakdowns of my own but I manage because I like what I do. I like not having a person telling me I am not doing it right just people who help me make what I do better. As crazy as it sounds, it made the first seven years worth it because I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to do. And not even a phone call from the sharp tongued poison spitting HER can change that.

If you were wondering what my response was to HER question:  

“Hey thanks for letting me help you with what you needed and ending it on such a high note. With all the work I have to do now, I won’t have time to help you if you call again. Nice talking to you.”