It's been a while...oops. It's not because I haven't been surrounded by love! Love is everywhere. You just have to open your eyes (and your heart...but to say that would have been terribly cliche).
A few weeks ago, while at work, someone showed me a little bit of love and it made my day.
It's a Tuesday and I've just gotten out of a meeting (If you do not yet have a real job, I must forewarn you that full-time jobbery is 25% work...75% meetings). I'm preparing to follow up on some of the team decisions we have made. My boss had mentioned that all I needed for a particular task was a sheet of paper that my client needed to sign. Easy enough. She has the paper. I have an abundance of pens. I go to my desk to call the client and schedule a time for her to sign. Check. I make sure my pen still writes. Double check. I shoot the quickest of breezes with a co-worker. Pow pow...check.
Then I walk out of my office with the intent to pick up this particular piece of paper from my boss. She is the director for no less than 4 billion programs and wears 87 hats daily. Aaaaaand her door is closed. Typical. So, I walk in the opposite direction in search of someone else who might have that paper. Enter Sassy Pants* (*names changed because nicknames are way more fun), a person whom I'd really enjoyed until this moment.
Me: Hey Sassy Pants, do you have a contract? I'm following up with a client and Boss Lady said they need to sign it.
SP: Well...why didn't I know about this?
Me: Um...I'm sorry...we just decided to do this in our meeting.
SP: Well have you filled out a yellow sheet?
Me: No. What's a yellow sheet?
SP: You don't know what a yellow sheet is?
Me: ...No I do not know what a yellow sheet is.
SP (chuckles): I can tell you've never done this procedure before.
Me: This is true. I have not. Boss Lady said all I needed to do was get the contract signed.
SP laughs again. Ok ma'am...this is officially beginning to annoy me. Another person is in our presence and they laugh smugly and conspiratorially at my ignorance.
Me: Well, can I have this yellow sheet so I may fill it out for you? What's it called?
SP: Go ask anybody else in your department what a yellow sheet is.
Me: So...you don't have one?
SP: Go ask anybody else in your department what a yellow sheet is.
Because I suppose I have nothing else I could be doing. So I spend the next 10 minutes of my life (10 minutes I will never get back) looking for, obtaining, and filling out this mysterious (and actually quite simple) yellow sheet. I return to Sassy Pants and hand it to her.
SP: You found it! I guess SOMEbody knew what a yellow sheet was. Now you'll know for next time.
She laughs again and even has the nerve to add a smirk and a wink for good measure.
Me: May I have the contract now?
SP: The client has to meet with me first.
Two deep breaths. Suppress the inner sista girl. Be a light. Jump through the hoops. Whatever you do...do not tell this woman about herself!
I schedule an appointment for the two of them to meet and return to my desk. I stare at my wall and realize how belittled and hurt I feel. Feeling belittled and hurt is actually rather distracting so I stare at the wall for quite some time. After two more deep breaths and a hearty shake of the head to clear the wounds away, I return to my work.
About an hour later, Sassy Pants (who has worked there for many many moons, has seniority and could probably talk to me however she pleased and not get any serious repercussions) comes into my office. I bristle at the sight of her, believing she might belittle me again. I feel silly because I am naive enough to like everyone I meet and gullible enough to believe that everyone is inherently kind.
After distributing some papers to everyone in the office, she stops at my desk and looks me in the eye. Without a single drop of sarcasm or superiority or prompting, Sassy Pants apologizes!
SP: I'm sorry I got an attitude with you earlier. It was uncalled for and unnecessary.
Me-- BLANK STARE. Shock is even too shocked to make its way onto my face.
SP:...Well...I just wanted to tell you that I was sorry.
Me: Ok.
I've always had such a way with words. The thankfulness I feel toward her (and God) for showing me that it's not naive to believe in the kindness of people is not easily conveyed by words.
Sometimes love looks like being sorry for your sass.
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It's the God in you, baby. Your patience outweighed, what could have become frustration.You keep letting your Light shine!!
ReplyDeleteLove Granny
Granny hit the nail on the head. SP was testing you (or God was using her to test you) to see if you would have a meltdown or take an attitude back. You kept your cool, girl! (woman!) "Never let 'em see you sweat"! Thick skin (and don't let them get under it) and stiff upper lip and alla that. Let it roll offa you like water off a duck's back! quack quack!
ReplyDelete-- Sis. Kim