Jumping the gun?

I am a sucker. The person's voice set me into an unwanted uneasy situation. The person was a pain in my arse. Hearing the voice trigger some uneasy thoughts in my dumb brain.

It was a false alarm. The person actually came to the office to officially resigned after taking a leave of three months. What a relief to the whole team! Somehow I think I am one of the reason, if not the major reason the person resigned.......

I never thought that someone would resigned because of me. Who am I? When I looked at it from a different angle, I kind of look like a bad person. You know the kind of person that people do not like. Maybe that is true.....

The story begins when I got pissed off with this person. Let me refer to the person as D. In my view D love to bully other co workers the smooth way. Knowing that the boss like D, D would "request" others to do the work and gets the credit. How I know the boss like D? When I joined the company, the first thing boss told me, do not make D unhappy. If I have to choose between the two of you, I have no choice to back D. I kept my silence.......

So when one of the junior workers got bambooed and force to leave the company by the boss, I thought at that time there was more than meet the eye. Did my own interview, some snooping around. Bottom line, nobody mess with D. Apparently that unlucky junior worker had a sharp tongue, and was lashing out to D. D reported to boss and The End of that unlucky person.

You know what I did? For no apparent reason, other than unhappy about this D character, I first talked to the head of the department where the unlucky fired junior worker was. Asked the person can I take over his department? Surprise ... surprise, the person was more than willing to be reporting under me. Later I learned, the head of the department actually already saw one of the board of directors to resigned.

So that was how I became the head of two departments. A new kid on the block, heading two departments. Hehehe.... nothing to be proud of. This is not a big corporate. D does not report to me. D was the head of business development.

To cut the story short. After a few months being hit left and right by D, both departments under me gallantly stood our grounds. (Sounds romantic huh, like the olde knights of the round table?). Issues after issues our departments had to resolve, some were major issues directly caused by D. We are the operation departments by the way. Those that do the work, but gets no credit. Kudos to my great subordinates for their perserverance.

Finally, when the last straw was broken, I called both my departments and the head of administration for a Pow Wow. I remembered telling them and getting their blessing for me to inform our boss about D. Again surprisingly all agreed. However, everyone says they were skeptical and cautioned me that I may loose my job. I told them I am fully aware of the repercussion.

Just like the foolish knight, alone I walked into the boss big room. Funny, I did not feel small at that time. I was merely standing for what I belief in, and all the great staff of mine believed in. After pouring out my heart sincerely to the boss, the boss told me this, "Foolish Knight, never in this company has anyone been able to out smart D. D is cunning and have long serve the company. Sincerely I think you will loose to D.". Ermmm.... so it is true the boss is siding with D. So I was contemplating to find another job.

God is great. One find day, I got a call from the boss.

Boss : "Hello Foolish Knight, we received a letter from our client, complaining about a letter we sent to them. I was informed by D, that you authorised the letter?"

I do not know what got into me, I was driving then. I felt like riding a galloping black war horse as I answered my boss. (The olde romantic me......).

FK (Foolish Knight) : "Boss, I think you are using the speaker, and D is beside you. I want D to hear my answer. Yes, I was the one who authorised D on the content of the letter, but I think D should take the responsibility as D signed the letter."

A beep sound and some crackling noise. Apparently boss was switching off the speaker phone.

Boss : "FK I want you to settle with the client immediately!"

And the phone conversation ends. Thirty minutes later, D called me.

D : "FK sorry la, I have to do that. You know la the boss. He loves to blame others."

Very sweet talker this D I told myself. Playing the innocent person game. I answered.

FK : "I do not like the way you do your job."

Period. I pushed the red button on my mobile phone.

(To be continued....... "Foolish Knights of the round table").