Friday, June 26, 2009

Moi, je n'aime pas....


...les personnes qui ne sont pas courtois.

I conduct all business with a pleasant voice and a smile. There are these two different departments I work with, and one makes a lot of mistakes but is always polite and kind, the other makes fewer errors but is extremely unpleasant to interact with. I will take the less competant but friendly people

ANY. DAY.

I have to tell you that today some of the ugliest rage and most unprofessional behavior was unleashed upon me, a mere message bearer. Yes, my boss screwed up and she was angry, and yes, perhaps my title doesn't afford me the respect that she may have shown my superior, but I am still a person who deserves respect! So while she waived her hands around, spit sarcasm like venom, and worked her eyebrows up and down in all kinds of arrogant pre-adolescent "what-everrrr" kind of ways, I thought to myself "This interaction is the last of its kind". I put a thin smile on my face while she and her red face ranted in front of her co-miserable co-worker and the room of embarrassed student workers, said goodbye, and started composing my "I'm sorry you're miserable but we need to work together and I will not tolerate that kind of disrespect again" letter in my head. Got back, wrote it, and sent it. In my humble opinion it was a pretty good email.

I think you would agree, mes amies, that even when we are frustrated beyond belief or so overwhelmed that we feel like we are gasping for oxygen, we must treat other human beings with, at minimum, dignity and respect. Anything on top of that, like courtesy, charm, sincerity, care, humor, and especially a smile, is all icing on a perfectly pleasant sort of cake.

And to make up for the negative nature of this post (I do apologize, by the way, but I just couldn't start my weekend without getting this off my chest), I shall now list lots of things que j'aime beaucoups: butterflies, hot water beating on my head in the shower, the sound of my dog lapping up water, listening to my husband crack up at a movie when no one else is in the room, leatherbound journals, noodle soups, observing people in public, guilt-free sick days, steamed clams, pasta fagioli, halloween and costumes, being coached or taught, playing with words, and les personnes gentilles such as yourselves.

9 comments:

joyce said...

Hi there,
I followed you from Kendalee's post, and read a few of yours, and I enjoy your writing. Do you mind if I come back from time to time?
Congratulations on speaking your mind in the email...hope it works out for you:)

onesilentwinter said...

moi j'aime pas les personnes qui ne sons pas gentille est polit aver sheila!

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Now, you must share Part II. Soon. I am hopeful that the email did the job. Fact of the matter is that no one deserves mistreatment or to be treated like children. Hopefully, a mediator will be available if this goes south. I am also hopeful that you can think on all those lovely things you mentioned at the end of the post and not allow your weekend to be filled with any worry.

Beverly Ash Gilbert said...

Well said!! I think it all comes down to respect both for others and for ourselves. If she felt good about herself, she wouldn't have lashed out at you. I hope she comes back with her tail between her legs and is able to summon up a heartfelt apology.

kendalee said...

I am SO with you on this Sheila! No excuse for rudeness and disrespect, and good on you for calling her on it. I hope she feels suitably chastised when she reads your letter and amends her behaviour accordingly.

What a lovely list of balancing loves though - that made me happy just reading it! I hope you have a great weekend.

Cindy said...

congratulations on not reacting in a way that would put you in the wrong. you were level-headed in a situation that could have causes you to explode. you will have a nice weekend, now. hope it's great!

Unknown said...

Could not agree more. I have been on both sides of the fence on this matter though although I do not admit that with pride. I have a quick temper on me and it would usually flare on the people I love the most. It was the one aspect of my personality that Calvin openly disliked and he has over the years taught me to hadnle situations with a quiet and gentle spirit. I was really hard and sometimes I still go into a room and scream into a pillow but I think that the new way of dealing with matters has become the preferred norm. It certainly difuses a situation much more quickly and it brings about a lasting solution. Your letter was certainly justified and I hope that weekend in the Cape helped you to put it behind you.

Unknown said...

sorry... handle and it not I.

i think that i have found a few solutions to our blogging problems. i climbed into the HTML text and coded a few things differently. let me know what you are struggling with and then i will let you know what i did.

L.L. Barkat said...

And you speak (or are learning?) French... it is my new passion to translate French verse. It is my slow method of learning, but one that I look forward to the way I look forward to my chocolate and green tea every afternoon.