and up your own arse

we're having a personnel problem at work. there is this lady who thinks she is my boss.

today i discovered her MO:
when you're new/above her/older than her, she takes you around, laughing as she introduces you to everyone, being the good sycophant.

but when she thinks she's your boss or you're younger than her (i won't even introduce the race issue b/c i'm not sure she deals with many other irish-americans so i have nothing to compare to), she lets you know; anything you do, that might be contrary to her interpretation of orders given to her by superiors, even if it was in your judgement appropriate, she reminds you that anything you do or even think must first be run by her.

there is no reason to be rude. i would tolerate this constant criticism from my RealBoss. but not from notmyboss.

i was working in one of the offices on a special project given to me by Realboss. notmyboss comes into the office.

"what the F8CK do you want now, B1TCH?"

is what i wanted to say.

of course, she gave me hell about the decision made last night to clean up the paper and replace it with a neater version (upon my arrival at school, one of the teachers told me that mr. flamer was a real person who had called and spoken to someone in the office who had then put his name on the sign-up sheet.) i didn't go into much detail about it with her, and i'm glad i did not. in fact, i haven't told anyone that since some homophobic attitudes had been bouncing around the office, and some derogatory words had been used, i had reason to believe the name was put there with malicious intent.

in RealBoss' words, as she spoke to NewPrincipal after notmyboss had forgotten her strained muscle just long enough to ride straight up her own ass and roll into the office where i was working only to fart maliciously, miss e is sensitive (to these kinds of issues), notmyboss is not. that miss e took it down and cleaned it up only out of respect for him

Realboss also told me that NewPrincipal had intimed to her that "he thought notmyboss had come down really hard on miss e, and i completely understand her concern, and just to let her know that it's ok."

i didn't cry openly in front of notmyboss, but i did when RealBoss came to talk to me. and absolutely not out of fear, it was in appreciation of her compassion.

i had spent the previous half hour lost in self-recriminations, thinking, now i've really got to look for a new job. i'm so dreadfully embarassed. now it's going to look like I'M the one who thinks he's a flamer. fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.(ok, not "dreadfully" but it was quite dreadful)

tomorrow when i meet with NewPrincipal I will ask for five minutes privately (IN FRONT of notmyboss b/c there's no way she can object, ESPECIALLY when she's in sycophant mode) with him, outline my goals and intentions at this job, explain my job title and how i'd appreciate doing only what i'm being paid to do, and maybe later he will let notmyboss know and put her in her rightful place.

and maybe i will even arrive with a resume in my hands to have something to show for my intentions.