written on Monday, Apr. 28, 2003 at 6:55 a.m.
Alright -- so I didn't actually make it to bed at 10. I think it was more like midnight. But it was still earlier than the night before. I guess that counts for something.
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Work was just spiffy yesterday. I didn't have to run the service desk, the boss that was working let us do all sorts of goofing off. Including sending me on an ice cream run an hour before the store closed. Heh.
Since my talk with Moody & BJ was so ineffective, I decided to just deal with Frumpy on my own. My tactic initially was just to be nice to her, and let the chips fall where they may.
A comment she made just before we closed changed my mind. She had been complaining about Teeny all day. Teeny is a fairly good friend of mine, despite the fact she's so young. I can be pretty protective of Teeny, but in the interest of not having bosses pets, I'm trying to be more objective. So I had basically just ignored Frumpy all day when she complained, smiling and nodding and so forth.
I HAD noticed, though, that Teeny was being kind of flakey when it came to anything Frumpy asked her to do. I was just choosing to turn a blind eye. UNTIL Frumpy said to me "Y'know, Cat, I really wish Teeny would act to you the way she does to me. I wish you guys could see I'm not just being a complainer."
I didn't really say anything at first, but while I was counting down people's registers, I started thinking about what she'd said, and I knew she was right. I general, I try not to listen to her OR Teeny when they complain about one another. For some reason the two of them just bring out the absolute worst in each other. The more I thought about it, though, the more I felt like I should at least acknowledge what Frumpy said.
Despite the fact Frumpy and I don't always get along now, we used to. When I first started, I really liked her. She was nice and very helpful, and never got impatient when I asked her questions. We were good friends until the rumor mill churned out the fact I was being considered for a promotion. From then on, Frumpy was very bitter toward me and has tried on more than one occasion to get me in trouble.
Still, though, I'M the manager and I have to be the bigger person here.
So, after we were done doing our officey stuff, I pulled Frumpy aside and simply said "Look, I know it seems like I'm not hearing what you say. I am. And I can see that there is a problem between you and Teeny. Thing is, I really like both of you and I don't want to get in the middle of it. As a supervisor, I can't make the two of you like each other. But I DO hear you."
She thanked me, and apologized for trying to pull me into it. We talked a little more in the store, and then a lot in the parking lot. I ended up asking her to come over and hang out for a little bit.
I admit that while part of my reason for doing it was to try and make peace with her, a bigger part was the old adage "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." I figure the more she likes me, the less she'll try to get me in trouble.
I still don't trust her, and I was very very careful to not say anything I wouldn't want repeated. Odds are she will repeat everything I said.
BUT, I handled the situation in an adult fashion. I worked things out with her {for now at least}, and basically behaved like the mature one. {Which is sad, considering she's 36.} I'm pretty proud of that.
And am apparently much more professional than my catty bosses. Heh.
* * *
Tomorrow is vacation! Woo woo! 9 hours and 15 minutes from now, my days off will begin. And I don't have to be back at work until 10 am on Saturday.
I have lots to do tonight, but I don't care. I'm excited!
Love,
