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Bungled Bluff

FROM
Break Out: Finding Freedom
When You Don't Quite Fit The Mold
James R. Hasse

"Mishaps are like knives,
that either serve us or cut us,
as we grasp them by the blade or the handle."

James Russell Lowell, Literary Essays

"Bob, I'd like to meet with you and Jim sometime this week," Jeff inserted into the closing pleasantries of our monthly meeting with the president. His baritone voice was strained, and our group of four, gathered around Bob's desk, suddenly became silent.

"Jim and I have a disagreement over work schedules," Jeff continued. Judy, Jeff's counterpart in public relations within my department, dropped her jaw in disbelief. Bob, with no knowledge of what Jeff was talking about, narrowed his lips.

I felt a twitch go through my neck. I couldn't believe Jeff was going through with his threat of going to the president with an issue I had repeatedly described as not negotiable.

"OK. How about Thursday at 1:30?" Bob said, confused but open to the request.

"Fine," Jeff replied triumphantly. "How's that for you, Jim?"

"That'll work for me, Bob," I said in scrambled vowel sounds as I ignored Jeff and, instead, looked Bob directly in the eye. Bob momentarily glanced at me, but his eyes then began to flit back and forth along the horizon outside the expanse of windows that surrounded his corner office. I reached for my crutches as Jeff and Judy left the room and then saw the frown on Bob's forehead.

"I need to fill you in on what's happening here," I quietly stated. "I thought Jeff and I could iron out the issues between us, but apparently he doesn't think so. Could I meet with you briefly later this afternoon on this matter?"

"That would be helpful," Bob said stiffly. "I've got a 4:30 open."

"Fine," I said. "I'll outline where we're at on all this."

As I walked out of his office, I scolded myself for not giving Bob some forewarning that, for several days, Jeff had been threatening to bring our disagreement about his workload and compensation to Bob's attention. He maintained I was being unfair and he needed someone at the next level of authority to resolve the two issues. But, I never thought he would actually request a meeting with Bob about them.

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