Grim fingers

An incident at work on Monday has triggered a low mood and I thought I would write about it instead of trying to bury it.

As usual I was wrapped up in my work, and Wheelie Wayne (volunteer) rolled into the office. He’s always been something of a pain, stirring the crap out of me, but lately he’s been a real thorn in my side.

Problem is over the past 12 months a lot of things at work have changed, but he hasn’t. He complains about there being nothing for him to do, but he’s not interested in anything I find for him. He goes for weeks without turning up sometimes, or when he does bother to come in he only stays a few minutes.

So I’m really busy, he has nothing to do and comes in to chat. I chat for a little while but soon want to get back to my work. He gets the dirts with me then, and I end up feeling really lousy and guilty about it.

I guess I have this nasty habit of turning to my work while people are chatting to me, it must give off unfriendly signals. I think I need to work on how I handle this situation, be upfront about wanting to get back to my work, maybe make a time to meet for a friendly chat later.

Gahh! wish I’d thought of this with Wayne, we used to get on pretty well. Instead I sent him an email (by reply to a horrible joke he sent me Tuesday morning) that maybe if it is so hard to come into work he needs to make a decision about whether he continues there. Think I should have left well enough alone! Haven’t heard from him since.

Well, if he does come into work again I shall try very hard to take a break from work and invite him to join me for a cuppa. Maybe we can get to the bottom of what is making him unhappy there, and possibly we can do something about it.

Hope, hope, hope that my actions haven’t put him off for good.