The job I started three years ago is not the job that I have today. The company is the same, some of the personnel have changed, and my daily tasks are more defined than they were. I used to wake up and not mind going to the office. The dread that generally accompanies the waking hour wasn’t there. It was noticeable enough for me to notice.

Nowadays it is dread, nothing but dread. And not good Rastafarian dread. Bill has said in the past and said it again earlier that I am there to work not to make friends. But I guess I was lucky because I’ve had jobs from forty years ago and there are coworkers from then that I am still friendly towards. It’s not the same friendship but there are still pleasant vestiges.

These people today I won’t have anything to do with. I try not to have anything to do with them on a daily basis except when I have to. I generally keep to myself. I mentioned a few posts back about an encounter with the Legume that I get along with.

He opened that aborted meeting with ‘Do you remember that last day before you went on vacation?’ I saw the Legume for about 30 seconds that Friday afternoon, he was coming in as I was headed out the door. Apparently, I said something to someone that was taken the wrong way, enough so that they had to complain about me, again.

The Legume said that I knew who it was but really I have no idea. I am pretty good at leaving the job in the office and not thinking about it until I absolutely have to. I am starting to suspect people which is not good. A woman who I got a job for this company did tell me that a coworker was afraid of me.

The terrified woman is part of a clique from the other side of the world and half of that clique does not like me at all and more than likely poisoned the well. And after the woman who I got into the job told me that I jokingly laughed and when I saw the terrified woman, making spectral voices and laments while laughing.

I have a mouth on me. That’s it. ‘John makes ghost sounds around me and I don’t like it.’ And to their general lack of credit, HR and the Legume said the person from the other side of the world is being a little bit too sensitive. It makes sense in a completely nonsensical way.

The queen bee of the clique from the other side of the world poisoned the well which this woman wholeheartedly drank from. And in so doing felt empowered enough to claim that she is afraid of me. I am all bark and no bite. Even Pedro knew that years ago. I had the mouth and he was the muscle. But the world has changed and so must I.

George Harrison was right.

At least at Alger I sort of knew most everyone (2 out of 150 were OK) was my enemy but with this place I know I can’t trust anyone…