Thursday, September 16, 2004

Rumours and Lies

When I stepped into the office on Monday, my boss called me.

'Come. I've a very bad news to share.'

With heavy heart, I sat in front of him.

First of all, he enquired me,

'Did you arrange for an escort for the visitors on Sunday?'

'Yes.' I explained the name of the personnel I got in touch to ensure an escort for the visitors that came to our workplace yesterday.

He kept on asking for several other details until I was forced to tell the whole story, from A to Z.

Finally, he said again,

'I've a very bad news to share.'

And he began to tell me the bad news.

I was shocked, but I did not show my emotion. I only took a deep breath and said,

'That's shocking. But I have evidence that I had done everything necessary on my part to ensure they have an escort with them on that day.'

My boss looked at me solemnly.

'Then we will not allow us to be at fault.'

'It certainly isn't.'

I went out of the room, not really feeling any definite emotion. Until someone I despised wholeheartedly looked pointedly at me, with a smug expression on his loathsome face.

'Look what you've done.'

I snapped. Stopping short at his desk, I turned to face him with a raised eyebrow.

'I did my job. Someone obviously did not. Why is it my fault?'

He looked at me in disbelief.

'I am in charge of that affected area. I will listen again to your arrangement with that staff you mentioned!'

I nodded stiffly, looking at him with coldness.

'You will listen this time.'

As the management team hurried into the meeting room looking worried and annoyed, my boss called me again.

'Prepare a report of all communication that you had prior to the incident.'

I duly followed his order. My heart hammered as if it could burst out of me, I was beginning to feel worried sick. Was it really not my fault?

By afternoon, it was hard not to feel any worries. Managers trooped out of the meeting room, some storming around with a scowl on their faces, some whispering worriedly. BUT IT FELT LIKE EVERYBODY WAS GLANCING AT ME.

Then the loathsome creature came back to me, with his personnel looking scared.

'Come.'

I followed him, wishing my boss would come out of the room and save me.

We sat in a meeting room, as he shuffled the paper importantly.

'Begin the story.'

I was about to open my mouth, when my boss appeared, giving a meaningful look at me. He beckoned me to come out.

'Whatever it is, bear in mind, none of us were there. Even when the business was started by us, we could not be held responsible. Someone obviously did not do their job, and now they are panicking and wanting to shift the blame to you. Bear in mind. We were not there.'

I nodded.

'He's investigating me. Would you join us for the investigation?' I asked hopefully.

'I should. I'm your boss.'

As my boss took his seat in front of this Gollum, he seemed to shrink and not act like he owned the whole place. As my boss started to explain, he shrank even smaller in demeanor until he said that it's not our fault, but their side. But he shot an angry look at me.

In times like this, feeling totally defenseless, I am glad that I have friends around me. They shot sympathetic look at me, gave looks that could kill at the Gollum, and told me to be strong.

'They'll see, that it's not your fault. Trust us. Now eat up!'

'I'm... scared.'

'We're here. Don't worry. We'll look out for you.'

My colleague went a step further, feeling sympathy for me for looking worried to death. He treated everyone for lunch. Then he told me.

'Go back early today. Sleep.'

Being not much of a communicative person, those words coming from him is a great effort to soothe me. I was touched.

Leaving the office later, I looked at the sky and thought of all these people who tried their best to cheer me up. And I felt happy.