Out of character

You know, I really hate it when people say things that are so undoubtedly out of the line, yet, they say it like you are known for these things. More specifically, about a month ago, every single time I walked into my office (walking in in the morning, coming back from the bathroom, back from lunch, etc.), the owner’s dog would bark at me like I was some intruder trying to steal everyone’s laptops. Obviously, this was not the case. But it didn’t fail, every single time I entered the room, it was all hell breaks loose. This behavior did not go unnoticed, as you can imagine. The occasional, “it’s every time you walk in, and no one else!” was shouted by the head honcho, and you know…that got old. But here is the kicker. The thing that really set it off.

I’m casually sitting in my cubicle one afternoon, typing, listening to music…when all of a sudden I feel a tap on my shoulder. And with a slightly whispered tone, she says, “What did you do to her?” With obvious confusion, I say, “what?” and the response was, “Well, obviously the dog is scared of you, what are you doing to her that she barks at you, and only you, when you walk into the office?”

Because I am at work, I refrain myself and do not do what I really want to. (Which is, of course, to freak out, scream and yell that it is a DOG versus a HUMAN, so the DOG is probably just being a DOG and barking because she is a DOG!) and I instead say, “I didn’t do anything, that is weird that she does that.” The conversion ended awkwardly and with a look of I-absolutely-don’t-believe-you-didn’t-kick-my-dog-while-I-wasn’t-looking. And the bottom line is that it freakin’ pissed me off. Really? I seriously hurt your dog at work and she is trying to tell everyone every time I walk into the office?! Really? It’s not my first day. You sort of know me, who I am, etc. Really? That is what I did. God, it just annoyed me to no end.

And though I was sort of over that incident, another happened today that has set me into this motion and puts us where we are now. So, today the owner comes over to me and shares a magazine with products in it that she likes for a section that I work on in our magazine. Nice enough, everything is okay, fine. And as our conversation ends and I take the magazine from her out placed hand, she leans in and whispers, “Now, don’t lose it.” And walks away. What?!!! Cause I lose things all the time? No. Hmmm…and that is exactly what I am talking about.