This is a late New Year’s Resolution: I’ve got to stop being angry on behalf of other people.

That having been said, I just have to tell you the latest gem from The Bully in the Pastel Sweater....

Of course, she’s not thrilled that the class is over. Who will she have to bully with no class? So, she’s offered to “coach” us on the next industry test we have to take, which is the first of three. Now these study sessions are completely voluntary, but who couldn’t use extra study? Well, me, if I can’t get this “angry on behalf of other people thing under control”

Anyway, the point is that not more than a week has gone by since she’s had anybody to belittle. She’s sitting up in front of the room and The Guy asked her what the format of the next test will be.

Now, here’s the thing. I really admire The Guy – no not like that! He’s practically young enough to be my son! But he’s the kind of guy who has already overcome a lot in life. He launched himself literally out of the mailroom into this job by dint of hard work and sheer brains. He’s self sufficient, living with roommates and a high maintenance rescued cat to whom he is fiercely loyal. He's careful and responsible, doggedly taking the bus while other guys his age would "have to have" the latest in wheels. He stutters, though not badly. His handwriting is almost unreadable, and he’s always apologizing for it. He’s really super sensitive about the handwriting issue, and he was always the last one done tests because he was trying so hard to make his short answers more readable. On our final exam this guy got a 99.5 %, so it should be very clear that what he knows, he knows. It’s not like he’s some kind of habitual BS artist. (that would be me)

“Well, it’s a paper and pencil test. But you won’t be able to use your handwriting to your advantage, because you’ll have to fill in one of those bubble forms, like for the SAT.”

Okay. So she’s just implied to a whole room full of people that The Guy is a) incompetent and b) sneaky. If she’d said that to me, I’d have stopped her and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean by that. Could you please explain what you mean when you say ‘use my handwriting to my advantage’, because I’m not sure I’m following you.”

But, of course, The Guy didn’t say any such thing, because he’s young and he just doesn’t want to talk about his handwriting.

In my head, I heard Sting singing a line from one of my favorite old songs: “And every single meeting with his so called superior/ is a humiliating kick in the crotch!”

Rob says I ought to get a job in theatre because then, when there was all this drama at work, it would be expected. But I don’t think there’s more drama in my jobs than in other people’s. I think I just notice it more.