Ever feel like you just got shat upon by your colleagues? I was having one of those days last week. Working at one of my freelance clients' office, I had to figure out a way how NOT to implode on the spot from sheer anger. I don't want to get into all the details, it's a tedious story, but to make things short: I got booked for a week of production work in September and then another FREELANCER... a woman I once trusted... got me unbooked. Yup. Went to the big chief, 'splained that she doesn't think I'm needed at that time and reversed my booking.
There you go. The funny thing is that on that very day I heard through the grapevine (meaning office gossip) that this same freelancer had insinuated that I may be wanting my full-time job back (I used to work there full-time) and would be willing to steal it from another colleague, who we all know is most likely getting fired soon. Apparently she thinks I have "financial troubles". WHUT? I really didn't even know how to respond, because — predictably — I was bound to secrecy by the person who told me this, plus I had also just inhaled my tongue from shock. I wanted to say (yell): "Hey, you can't tell me something like that and then expect me to keep a straight face!!!" Yet I kept a straight face and left my Uzi in my purse. I am a professional, after all.
I know this all sounds really convoluted, but that whole place is dysfunctional to the max, so this story is, too. Bear with me. Aside from the reality that finances aren't so bad these days (knock on wood) and I'd love to let her know that she should shut her piehole the hell up, I am just sickened by the two-facedness of it all. I mean, you pretend you're a friend, you apparently think I have financial issues and then you get me unbooked? What the fuck are YOU thinking? Then again, you're probably not. Thinking, feeling or otherwise. You're just a shitty person who doesn't care about anyone but herself. As my friend Judy McGuire so eloquently summed it up: "She's a bitch!"
Oh well. So back to the question of who needs them, these doormatty jobs? I guess we all do. Unless we're blessed by stupendous lottery winnings, a massive trust fund or a superrich spouse (sorry, honey) we all have to work. The good news is that this particular episode just spurred my will to get cranking on other stuff. My husband and I are working on a business plan, and right now it's all I want to do and think about. I should thank my phony friend, really, for being so kind and showing me the way.
