Saturday 21 January 2012

THE GRUMBLER

So far, I have spent four days in my new branch and it has been interesting. I say interesting because I have a new set of colleagues and I have had fun studying them and my environment. There's a particular lady that I just wonder at. *Sharon is the Cash Officer and she is quite a character. When I resumed, there was no system for me, so I had to share hers for a couple of days. I don't appreciate when people tell me things about other people. I just don't want to know and besides I feel like that person would also say things behind my back. While working on Sharon's system the first day I resumed, she started what I have termed her usual way of muttering. She was sitting beside me and was just muttering to herself. At first I thought she was praying beneath her breath, but after about ten minutes of muttering and no word from me, she asked me if I didn't hear what she was saying. With a surprised look, I turned and told her that I didn't know she was talking to me.

Apparently she had been grumbling about a lot of things and wanted my input in the matter. She complained about the music our Hop *Lekan was playing. *Sharon said the music was too loud and it wasn't even Christian songs, so what makes him think everyone would want to hear it (she was playing her Christian songs too). I blinked in shock that someone would make such a silly and petty comment. I told her while smiling that it was none of her business what kind of songs he was playing cos it's a free world. Next she complained that *Lekan always favors his people (Yoruba) and would always side them. *Sharon is from Delta state. I didn't say anything to her, but continued working.

She would complain that *Lekan does not do his job but leaves everything for her to do. She would give instances of the tickets that were posted by the tellers and are supposed to be verified by the two of them, but *Lekan would leave everything for her to do and instead be reading his mails. All this while, i had been quiet as she muttered, but I was tired of hearing her talk. I told her that she can't just talk like that and he might have important issues to sort out via mail. *Sharon grumbled about how *Lekan wastes time with customers when he has to personally address their issues. Once, she pointed out to me a customer that had come to see *Lekan and was talking with him. In less than five minutes, they were through and the customer got up and left. *Sharon then said that that was an exception because usually the customer would seat there for a long time with *Lekan.  On and on she went grumbling about one thing or the other that *Lekan and some other people do. I never witnessed any of this things that she accuses them of.

I heard an earful of how *Funmi (the C.S.O) is a very lazy girl and because she is Yoruba, *Lekan would always side her. On my third day in the office, *Lekan called that he was stuck in traffic and would be a little bit late to work. *Sharon started her muttering and was saying that ehnnnnnn, he always comes late to work and has one excuse or the other and it would become worse now cos there's a new staff that can cover for him. It's always to my hearing only, so when she mutters like this , I tell her off if I'm in the mood, but most times, I just ignore her.

Yesterday, I and *Sharon entered the vault to bring out some cash for the tellers and almost as soon as we got in, she said that we should hurry up and leave because she doesn't like wasting time in the vault. She said that the vault was hot and had a musky smell. I shook my head, looked at her well and just started laughing and I told her to calm down. I was laughing because it's not as if she is an ajebutter or anything of that sort. ( I don't mean to be mean cos I'm not an ajebutter either :-D ). I asked her if she has ever seen a fan, air condition or windows for ventilation in a vault before. Of course she didn't respond, but picked the cash and we left the vault.

I don't know if she has had issues with *Lekan or the other people before. I'm not interested in all that. After she has grumbled beneath her breath, she would always turn to them, be all smiley and still work as if she doesn't spite them. I don't want to conclude that she is a frustrated, bitter and spiteful person cos I have known her for just four days, but that is the way she comes across to me. So far, she is the kind of person that I wouldn't want to be friends with. I have decided that I would just relate with her as a colleague. If she can tell me (a colleague that is just 4days old in the branch) such things about other people, then I don't need such a person as a friend.

So far, *Lekan seems to me like a correct guy. He is fun to be around and does his job. My other colleagues all make sense too. I also noticed that the relationship they have with *Sharon is kind of official. They don't really gist with her. Oh well, I might be wrong though.

My system was fixed and configured by an IT guy yesterday, so I now stay on my own and don't have to constantly hear her mutterings. Thank goodness.

37 comments:

  1. Think you should steer clear from the babe oh.. cause people like that would gist with you about other people and most definitely gist with other people about you!!

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    1. I plan to do just that. Relate with her like a colleague and nothing more. Thanks babe.

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  2. I think she has a crush on Lekan or just wants his attention. Wish i could colour the name yellow and pay you back for the number of times the name jumped out at me, lol

    Yaaay, I'm happy for u jare

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    1. Sorry about the excess usage of the name and the yellow color. Just realized now how it jumps out.

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  3. Lekan Lekan Lekan Lekan Lekan Lekan...that was all I read.

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    1. Sorry about that. :-). That was the most i heard in the past four days, but i could have put it in a better way.

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  4. LOL...dealing with such a person can be exasperating. I think you got it on a pat down though with telling her off or out rightly ignoring her. She should let you form your opinions by yourself.

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    1. It's very annoying. I prefer to form my own opinion of my new colleagues and not rely on what people say.

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  5. Loool. Different kinds of personalities in this life sha. I am sure u'll be fine in the end

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    1. Thanks dear, I'm pretty fine cos I have my own system now. I was just surprised cos I hadn't met someone like that before. Personalities plenty for this world sha. :-)

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  6. Good luck at your new office and as for the gist merchant, she probably has a thing for Lekan or she wouldn't be so obsessed with his every action. You should probably steer clear of her... just saying.

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    1. Thanks dear. LOL @ gist merchant. Nice way to put it. Well, maybe she does have a crush on him.

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  7. Sounds like the typical character assassination that occurs in many work environments.
    There's always one person like that in each work place. Good thing you have her figured out.

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    1. Her own character assassination was very glaring. I guess that was what shocked me.

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  8. i read all the "lekans" first.lol
    i think sharon is in love with lekan but is frustrated bcos lekan "no give her face". stay away from her biko, shes obviously a talking machine

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  9. True... the babe might have a crush on Lekan but all the same tell her off and let it be.

    But personally, I enjoy having people like that around me cos from personal experience,though annoying they tend to be up to date on office gist alot.

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    1. Hmmmm, now that's a different way to look @ it. First hand info on office gist :-)

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  10. I would bolt from such a person too,how can she be so petty, please i dont have time for such o!

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    1. LOL. U sound like you want to smack her for being so petty.

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    1. Thanks for coming around my end dear. Will def check your's out soon.

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  12. Poor Sharon. Nobody invites her when they have parties outside the office. Nobody wants to see her or have anything to do with she and her christian music. Poor, poor Sharon.

    "But eh, who does this Che think she is anyway? Does she think she is an ajebutter or something? They told her to go and get money from the vault and she was asking me if I have not seen that other banks have AC and fan inside their vault. Me I told her that I have not see o. You know the other day she was saying that Lekan is playing yoruba music, that after all it is a free world, and she will play her own. I told her abeg cool down. Then she said Lekan is always siding with Yoruba people and that after all she is yellow too and can pass for a yoruba woman. You know what I think? I think she likes Lekan....eh, Lekan, how now?...yes, I think Lekan should watch his back. These igbo girls can be very dangerous." - Sharon

    And that friends, is how you gossip.

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    1. Hahahahhaaahahhaha @ the mini gossip thingy. You are just a clown you know.

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    2. lolol so true igbomarriage, thats how her grumbling abt che would sound!

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    3. Don't mind igbomarriage. Her very imaginative writer's brain took over and that was the result. *wink*

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    4. Ah! What did I do now? I'm telling you. Sebi you'll come back here and gist it yourself? When she finds out you're not interested in being on her side, you will become the enemy, especially if you start making headway with the rest of the team.

      I have bought a bag of akpu chips. I will wait.

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    5. You are such an interesting character. LOL @ the akpu chips. Will feel you guys in on any latest happenings in the office, that's if I don't get too lazy. :-)

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  13. @ Igbomarriage: Hilarious response from Sharon.

    I think there is a Sharon in every office. She got no one on her side so as the newbie she is trying her luck with you. But how can anyone want to have anything to do with her with her attitude. You spend more time at work, I see no reason why you shouldnt try to be in good terms with your colleagues. You are handling her well jare.

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    1. Well this newbie can't be on her side cos I don't have time for petty people. No mind igbomarriage jor. ;-)

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  14. Its good you're taking your stock of colleagues independent mindedly without undue Sharon influence.

    I think your opinion of her as someone bitter or angry is right joo. Great gossips are very friendly people...that's how they get to hear everyone's aproko.

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    1. I agree with you that great gossips tend to be overly friendly cos they want to get gist. She portrays herself as one, so I guess that's why people don't really talk with her. After all, no one wants all his business in the open.

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  15. Babe, i'm glad you got your own computer! haba, new staff and you've given her a earful already. She was probably looking for ann ally.

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    1. I quite agree with you that she is looking for an ally. Boy, am i glad to have my own system now!!!!!

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    ReplyDelete