Women of the Clique

What a crazy week. I know it’s a big no-no to blog about work, so I’ll try to be as vague as possible. I am always amazed at how immature adults are. I don’t know why I should be amazed, as they continue to disappoint me. I feel a little back-story is in order. For those who don’t know the whole “Mean and Insensitive” story, here it is.

Several years ago I worked at a company where it was much like Jr. High. There were a large group of girls, okay, so technically they were women, but not really. Anyway, these girls liked to pick a target and make her life miserable. They would give the victim of the month the cold shoulder, and make her life at work as horrible as they could. There would be daily lunches excluding the victim, where at these lunches everyone would rip on the excluded girl. I am not perfect. Far from it. I was a part of these catty lunches. It was delicious to be a part of the clique. But I did feel a bit dirty, like Eve eating the serpent’s apple. But, I was weak, and went along with it.

Until … you guessed it: I became the victim. The clique turned on me. After a week of being ignored, (one girl even would scrunch herself up against the wall when I walked by, as if I had some nasty catching disease.) I finally confronted each of the girls, one-on-one. The wall scruncher told me, “You know, you’re not a very nice person. You think that everyone likes you, but in fact, everyone hates you. You’re just a mean and insensitive person.”
So there you have it. I am a mean and insensitive person who everyone hates. Yeah! Freedom to be a bitch!

I’d like to say that this was a one time thing, but sadly, every job I’ve worked at, there is always a group of “popular” women who make someone’s life miserable. Luckily, I haven’t been the victim again, but I think it’s because I’ve learned a hard lesson. I don’t get involved with the cliques. It’s hard sometimes. When the clique wants to include me, I have a hard time saying no. But now I have perspective. And I also know that you can’t trust the women in these cliques.

Okay, now to the current work situation. I’ve been accepted by a new clique, and I politely turned them down. Even when they went off on this one woman because she was wearing Hammer Pants. Yes, I know, that’s quite delicious, and hard not to mock. But really, I like Miss Hammer Pants. She’s a really nice person. Sure, she talks quite a bit, and comes across as a know it all, but she’s smart, and she knows what she is talking about. Do I want to hang out with her outside of work? No, not really. But I feel she’s a good work ally. The thing about people who like to talk, and know all of the answers is that you can count on them to help you when you’re stuck, and don’t know the answer. Would the cliquey bitches help me? Maybe. Would they let everyone know that I don’t know what I’m doing? I wouldn’t doubt it one bit. Take it from a Mean and Insensitive girl, I should know. ;-)