Wednesday, October 17, 2012

75 going on 25...

When I first met M. she came off as gregarious, friendly, chatty and very self-assured.  I had come to her place of work to drop off my CV.

When I began working with her some few weeks later, I found her to be bossy, controlling and tiring to be around.

M. is 75 years young.  She wears thick, gold chains around her neck and heavy, low-hanging baubles in her ears.  She has a face full of make-up and a whiff of perfume on her person.  Normally, I wouldn't mind these things too much, but we are working with food not serving cheap cocktails to crusty custies at some ratty casino in Reno.  Moreover, I am not fond of perfumed folk behind a food counter.  Mmmm, a chunk of cheese and Chanel No. 5 pair well, don't they?

M. likes things the way she likes 'em and there's hardly room for discussion.  'Do it this way', she'll say.  'No.  That's wrong.  Do it like this.'  Then she'll slowly and with great effort expended on her part show me the 'right' way to {insert some mind-numbingly simple task here}.

The greatest problem about this scenario is that she isn't my boss.  She isn't anyone's boss, but rather the MOTHER of the boss.  When I tell her that I won't be doing it her way (usually because her way is bass-akwards and time-wasting or just plain tacky), and instead be doing the way the boss wants it done, then I'm challenged.  'But I'm telling you to do it this way!' she'll cry.  My response is what one would guess.  I tell her that I'm doing it the way the boss wants it to be done and the boss is the one that pays me.  That sort of talk is usually met with a foot stomp and an eye roll.

M. is really 75 going on 25 going on 15.

2 comments:

  1. Geez, that must have made work completely unbearable.

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  2. Yeah, it was a bit difficult. When I finally plucked up the courage to share (nicely) how the first week or two of work was going I was met with understanding. I was then told to agree with everything the mother says, but once she's out of sight to do it my way. :S

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