Saturday, March 11, 2023

A different take on#MeToo

A number of years ago I worked as a church administrator. Several people were employed by the church but the others worked in a separate building a couple of miles from the centre where I was based. I was mostly happy on my own but now and again I would have appreciated some company. My boss calling in to see how I was doing was a rare occurrence, and I wasn't invited, even occasionally, to the regular team meetings. 

One Sunday morning we had a visiting speaker in church. I found him to be arrogant and said as much on my Facebook page. I didn't mention his name or the name of the church, although most of the small number of people who followed me then - as opposed to the millions now! Ha! - would have known.

The day after who should appear in my office but my boss. He was not happy with what I'd said. I posted out that it wasn't on the church's page but my own personal page. That didn't matter he said. "Everyone knows you're at ******."

I went home still upset and thinking perhaps I ought to remove my post. I told Husband and he was furious. "Don't you dare take it down!" he said. 

Unlike Mr Lineker I wasn't stood down though, come to think of it, it wasn't that much longer until it was suggested I should 'retire'. Actually it was suggested that I go home and think about whether I should stay in my job. (Because I'd told the leadership team I was taking time out from church to concentrate on Zac's. They - two of the trustees including my boss - suggested I wouldn't be able to do my job properly if I wasn't attending church. When the board of trustees was told it was said that I had decided to retire - no mention of any 'suggestion' on their part.)

I went home and told Husband and maybe you can guess what he said.

Do I sound bitter and twisted?

Thinking about it this morning caused me to go and give Husband a big kiss. He's always on my side. Except when Wales play England at rugby.

A brief aside, Wales play Italy this afternoon. Neither team has won a game so far so are fighting for the wooden spoon - or more correctly to avoid the wooden spoon. I don't hold out a lot of hope. Rugby politics in Wales is in a mess and is bound to affect the team's morale. Or they're just rubbish at the moment. Take your pick. But I am wearing my lucky rugby jumper today which I've forgotten to do for the previous matches. It can only help.

5 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

The work force is a rough place with hardball rules and a take-no-prisoners ethos, no matter who your employer is. Most of us find that out the hard way, alas.

Kathy G said...

The whole thing sounds suspicious. but I believe everything happens for a reason.

Terra said...

That is sweet your hubby is always on your side. My hubby was like that too.

Ann said...

That would have made me a bit furious at the time. Glad it all turned out for the best. Most often times they do.

Boud said...

Work is full of politics and underhand dealings. The nonprofit, particularly women's orgs (!) really bad that way. I did defeat some attempts to do stuff, largely because they found they couldn't intimidate me. But it's not the way a person wants to work.