Anger Problems

I have probably mentioned my receptionist to a few of you. She is an older woman and like many of her generation, she likes to lecture younger people, especially younger women. I have been the object of many lectures for which I smile and nodd.

Friday went something like this. First, she got mad a one colleague of mine because she did not like the place she picked for lunch. At said lunch, she told one of my bosses and another colleague that they were members of a cult because they are Catholic and do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. [This is ironic because she publishes to any person who will listen her strong Christian beliefs.] She then goes on to tell us how she beat-up this girl in grade school and sent her to the hospital (and yes, she was proud of this story). As you can guess, she was in quite the mood that lead to me being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Well, one of my bosses (J) calls into the office in the afternoon. He wanted to speak to my other boss (L), but L was in a meeting. So, he asks to talk to me. I start talking to him when the receptionist tells me that L is coming out of his meeting to speak to J. I wait for J to finish his sentence, so that I can tell him this but L comes up and asks (in the meantime) if J's call is an emergency because he is in a meeting. I ask J. J says "no." L says that he will go back to the meeting and talk to J later. I speak to J for a few minutes and then we end the call.

Well, a few minutes later, the receptionist comes and YELLS (yes, a colleague heard the whole thing from a suite away) that I should have put J on hold and that J did not call to talk to me. I try to explain what had happened (in a normal tone of voice), but she interprets me to YELL at me further and scream "CASE CLOSED" and storm away and complain about me to another colleague loud enough that I can hear her an office or two away. Have I mentioned yet that my office is next to a conference room and there was a meeting in the conference room?

This receptionist is the type of person that the whole office tips-toes around on egg shells on a regular basis. Although, Friday's outburst was more prominent than her usual spoutings, it is not wholly surprising.

No, I was not appreciative of the scene and emailed my bosses. It doesn't look like much will be done due to the fact that my bosses are non-confrontational (rather ironic for their profession). I really wish I could say that I thought that the small talking-to she got would change the situation but knowing people like her (yes, you probably know the person I type about), nothing is going to change.