Mind Your Own Business
I grew up with siblings. That, in and of itself, is not unusual. I want to think that the majority of us are not only children. I happen to be the oldest of four.
Growing up, I used to absolutely hate it when I would be minding my own business, ignoring my immediate environment, and otherwise finding myself lost in whatever it was that I was doing at the time and someone would come by when they were asked to do something and all of a sudden, I had to become a focal point. I could have been doing anything from playing a video game, reading, doing homework, or just watching television. Whatever it was that I was doing, I was clearly tuning out the world and everyone else. It would incense me when any one of my siblings, again when asked to do something themselves, would feel compelled to point out to Mom and/or Dad how I wasn’t “doing anything”, as if to suggest that perhaps I could have either been asked to help them or maybe even do whatever task they were asked to do, my damn self.
I will be honest. As an admitted introvert with many years of life under my proverbial belt, it is not and has never been in my nature to help others. I didn’t like helping others when I was a kid. As an adult, I still don’t care to help others. Altruism does not live inside of me, if it ever did. I just don’t care that much about other people. Actually, let me rephrase that.
I don’t care that much about MOST other people.
I’ve always been content with keeping to myself and not getting involved in situations that do not and have never involved me. Yes, I have a circle of friends, whom I care about, some even deeply, but for the most part, I keep my distance from others and situations that don’t involve me. I’ve mastered the art of staying in my lane.
Yesterday morning in the office, Christina had instructed one of the dumb broads, with whom I reluctantly work, to help out with a situation there in the office. Before this terrible coworker of mine walked over to this situation, she felt compelled to tell Christina that I wasn’t doing anything and that maybe I could have helped out with that situation there in the office. The situation itself isn’t important in this instance, but I happened to hear Christina tell her that SHE needed to help with that situation. At no point in time did Christina mention my name or suggest that I help with that situation in any capacity. Christina knows already. She knows that I don’t help out with situations. She knows better than to bother me with such trivialities and so, she did not make any effort to even look in my direction or call out to me. I was at my desk, writing and plugging away as I do every damn morning.
Call me focused if you want, but know that I don’t fuck around when I arrive at the office. I’m all about business when I get there between 4:40am and 4:45am, six days a week. I come in, put my things down, turn on my computer, wait for it to boot up, and once we’re up and running, I’m working. I’m checking e-mail. I’m plugging in my flash drive. I’m looking for the work that I need to do and I’m off and running…or in this case, I’m off and writing. I’m not there to bullshit or even socialize.
My dumbass coworker can’t seem to do that. In fact, most of my coworkers can’t seem to do that. Typically, this dumb broad will come in, while on the phone with who knows who. She’s needlessly loud. Maybe she sits at her cubicle and turns on her computer? If she happens to see anyone else in the office, someone with whom she considers herself to be cool and comfortable, she will approach them and immediately engage in some kind of meaningless conversation. These conversations are also needlessly loud and are typically about nothing. They’re disruptive. They’re distracting. They’re fucking annoying. They’re just a means of work avoidance really.
Yesterday morning was no different, as far as what I do. I put my headphones in and looked to ignore her and all the damn noise she was making. Not long after she got there, Christina told her to go help with that situation. Minutes later, she just had to point out to Christina that I was also physically present and that I could have helped out too.
Fuck that.
My first thought when this dumb broad told Christina that (which obviously I heard) was:
Bitch, don’t worry about what the fuck I’m doing. Christina told YOU and only YOU to do something. She did not mention me as a possibility or as any kind of option at YOUR disposal. I’m working and getting things done, while your bitch ass is jibber-jabbering on your phone and otherwise bullshitting. Fuck that. I’m not helping you with shit. Worry about you and only you and leave me the fuck out of it.
In some way, I felt vindicated because Christina seemingly ignored her when she mentioned my name. After it was all said and done, Christina never spoke with or to me about that situation. I didn’t feel any need to bring up that situation either and I didn’t. It came and went and ultimately, it was a non-issue, at least there in the office.
Still, I felt compelled to write about it here because truthfully, it fucking bothered me. It brought me back to my childhood. My siblings would do that same shit when we were growing up.
Oh hey, look. Visionary’s not doing anything. Ask him to do it. Maybe he can help?
To see this happen in the workplace with supposed adults trying that same shit? Nope, fuck that.
You motherfuckers need to mind your own business and stop worrying about whatever the fuck it is that I’m doing.
I’d love to see that included in an office-wide e-mail that so desperately needs to be written and sent.
There’s this false sense and misguided expectation of equity in that office. They need to get that shit out of their heads because that’s not how that office works.
Let me do my work. You do yours and again, don’t worry about whatever the fuck it is that I’M doing.
You have more work than I do? Christina asked YOU to do something? I’m just sitting there typing?
Oh well. Suck it up, buttercup, and stay the hell out of my cubicle.
Life isn’t fair and you might want to get it through your fucking head that this work environment isn’t either.
Bitch.