Jaw Droppings

A few months ago I had to give something to LEL. I could have rolled my chair over to her in-box with one push of my feet, because that's how close we sit to each other. But I didn't. I got off my ass and walked the entire five feet over to her desk and said something along the lines of "Cowboy asked that you file this in the Grumpleson file" as I placed the document in her in-box. Would you like to know the response I got to that? Sure you would!

"In the future, when addressing me, please go around and stand in front of my desk at the ponywall; don't stand next to me."

You have GOT to be fucking kidding me. Talk about standing on ceremony! Talk about making people jump through hoops! Talk about earlobes that swing in the breeze!

But whatever - killing LEL with kindness is my method of dealing with her, so I agreed to do that. In reality, I never do that. I e-mail her, I wait until she's not at her desk to give her things, and twice I've even gone so far as to use our mail guys to deliver inter-office envelopes to her.

Today LEL came to my desk to give me a document of Tuna's, claiming it's mine to file. She did it smugly, pleased to be giving me work to do. I was in a mood.

"LEL? In the future, please address me from the other side of the ponywall."

LEL's response? "EXCUSE ME?" Her jaw dropped.

I slapped the most innocent expression I could onto my face and replied, "What? I'm just asking that you extend the same courtesy to me that you demanded." And then I walked away without waiting to see her reaction. And I didn't trip over the carpet until I'd rounded the corner and she couldn't see me anymore. Thank goodness.

And yes, I laugh at myself when I trip.