Social Skills

Other than really looking forward to my weekend with The Democrat, I don't have much to write about this week because I haven't really done much besides work. And because I know that it's not a good idea to blog about your job, let me just say - i would never write about my workplace. Nope, this is not about me or where i work. But, I do have a friend who works in a very strange environment filled with a few of the most socially awkward people ever. Ever. She makes notes of all the weird behavior and plans to compile them into a book, or if not an entire book, just an article on how not to be weird at work. Like today for example, she rode up the elevator with her supervisor. She smiled and said good morning; he grunted a barely audible hello, avoided eye contact, and then looked at his blackberry the rest of the 46+ floors up. Even though it was just the two of them in the elevator, no other words were spoken. It's happened before. It bothered my friend the first ten times or so, but then she decided to let it go, he's probably just not a morning person.

Well apparently he's not a night person either. My friend worked late today and was up at the office until around 9:30ish, and so was the boss. It was obvious that they were the only two people left on the floor. Their offices are just a few doors down from each other and around 9:15 they bumped into each other at their shared printer. She hadn't seen him since the morning elevator ride, but had nothing new to say to him, so just give him her best hallway smile. If you don't know what a hallway smile is, you'll have to ask Zack. The boss made an stern, slightly constipated face in return, maybe that was his hallway smile?

At 9:30, she was ready to go home and she thought "I'll go say good night to the boss. It would be really weird if i just left without saying goodbye, especially when it is so late and clearly we are the only two people left at the office. That's common courtesy/normal human interaction right, right? I mean, we work together every day and he is my boss. Oh and its not like we're in a big company where i'm an anonymous face. My group has five people in it." My friend thought this, not me. But when as she walked the six steps to his office she realized that common courtesy/normal human interaction is not for everyone. His lights had been turned off and it was obvious that he left without saying goodbye.

Maybe the afternoon is his best time of the day.

My friend is a little beaten down by work because it sucks to spend so much time in an awkward and unfriendly environment. She is also a very worried that the unfriendliness will start to rub off on her, if it hasn't already. If you notice rude behavior or a dramatic lack of social skills, please let me know. I'll pass along to my friend.