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While working at a medical job where I was in an administrative position, a co-worker was hired. We seemed to get along fine and chit-chatted amiably while we worked. I noticed, though, that she and our boss were developing a super-chummy relationship. They called each other by pet names, which was kind of sickening. That fondness never extended to me. Our boss, with whom I had previously had a great relationship, suddenly, for reasons unknown to me, began being very cold toward me and micromanaging my duties. I had always been self-motivated, trusted, and very competent in my work, requiring relatively little supervision. I did not understand the change in her attitude toward me.
I began coming home from work devastated and confused and started to hate going to a job I had previously loved
Image credits: Vasilis Caravitis (not the actual photo)
Eventually, that co-worker was needed to cover for an employee on leave at our other office, so I enjoyed her being out of our office. One day, I accidentally overheard a conversation between my boss’s boss and a corporate representative where they discussed coming in that weekend to review patient chart documentation. I knew that my boss was routinely forced to take work home, including charts, in order to keep up with her extensive workload. This, of course, was a big no-no, even though I knew the charts were in safe hands and understood why she was doing it. I was worried that my boss would get into serious trouble if the charts were discovered to be missing.
So, even though my boss seemed to hate me, I went to her on my way out the door at the end of the day and told her about the upcoming chart review
Image credits: Alexander Grey (not the actual photo)
She looked at me oddly and didn’t really respond. I went home that evening and fretted all night about what I had done. I kept telling myself I should not have said anything and should have minded my own business. I almost made myself physically ill that night.
The next morning, my boss and I arrived in the parking lot at the same time. I went directly to her and began apologizing, telling her that I should not have said anything and that it was not my business. She stopped me mid-sentence and said, “You saved my a**. Thank you.” I was dumbstruck.
She continued, “I have been very misled about you. I have been lied to about you. I am so sorry. ‘Co-worker’ told me that you were spying on me for my boss. I am so sorry”
Image credits: nrd (not the actual photo)
I was in shock. Instantly, things were set right. I had inadvertently proved to her that I was not spying on her at all, but doing just the opposite. Had I truly been spying for her boss, I would have let her get caught. The co-worker was now on the $#!+ list. Conditions corrected themselves immediately.
She never returned to our office. My relationship and interactions with my boss became positive again
Image credits: Vitaly Gariev (not the actual photo)
The little liar remained at the other office and was still there when I left the company for an out-of-state move.
I still wonder what the co-worker’s problem with me was. I had never done anything to her to warrant her hatred toward me. I guess it was just some kind of character flaw.
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