Tuesday, November 11, 2008

the adjuster (and i don't mean insurance)

(Warning: there is a fair bit of griping and some possible gross material in this post.)

There is a guy I work with at my job. I call him my boss when I'm talking about him, but really he is just the team lead of my project. I do not report to him at all.

If I was a novelist, this is how I would describe him:
He was a short man, with a bit of a bulge around the middle, evidence of too much time spent indoors. His swarthy face sported beady eyes that always seemed to be looking in the wrong place and a mustache that gave him the look of a, well... you know what. Since his youth, he had developed a habit of closing off his nasal passage and then expelling the air from his nose every once in a while in a short burst. Although he believed himself to be young and vibrant, his age was apparent. He was already starting to grey at the sides of his once dark hair and his lack of knowledge of the younger generation, both style and language, was painfully obvious to all with whom he spoke. He was full of self-importance, always quick to expose the mistakes of others and point out his own superior ideas and work ethic. Though he cared very much about his job, he didn't care much about people, generally assuming that everyone was dumber than he was and treating them accordingly. He was never wrong; not ever. If there was ever any attempt to implicate him in anyway, no matter how slight, he would become affronted and defend his honor in the harshest of arguments to all within earshot, as if he thought any idle words would damage his attempts at advancement.
I generally think he's an okay guy and I wouldn't really mind working with him except for two things:
1. He is the world's worst micro-manager. He will stand behind my desk and watch me work and give "helpful" suggestions as he watches. (He has never done web programming, so he's really not that helpful.) His desk is very close to mine and about 20 times a day he calls my name to come look at something that is "broken". (It is either my fault or my problem perhaps 5% of the time.) I probably spend 35% of my day talking to him.
2. This is the worst: he is an "adjuster". As I am not a man, I'm sure I do not completely understand the need to do this. However, I know plenty of men, and I have never noticed such a disgusting thing in any of my friends. This guy is always touching himself - like almost constantly. And as he is always in my cubicle it just makes me feel sick all the time. It's creepy and gross and it gives me the jibblies!

3 comments:

  1. Where do you work again? and whats your team leads name? J.K.

    I know what its like to work with a micro manager... Not fun at all. Hang in there K and if all else fails sue the company for sexual harassment.

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  2. Maybe you should be flattered by the adjusting...

    If you go for the sexual harassment, I know a fun cake to celebrate it!

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  3. I know of an adjuster as well. Do they think no one notices? Or that they are being discreet? Well, they're not and I think it is pervy.

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