My boss's little secret...

I often complain about my boss. I think everyone does that once in a while. I know I've written about him before but decided I would go into a little more detail today. My boss walks around the office with a crotchety, grumpy demeanor almost all the time. He has this truly annoying habit of saying "Oh yeah, that's what I was just thinking..." when you make a suggestion and you know he wasn't thinking whatever it was at all. He also says things like "Remind me again about..." and "I was working on this at home over the weekend...". The first statement is usually said about something that's been in discussion for weeks proving that he hasn't paid a smitch of attention to anything. The second statement is a bold faced lie because there is NO WAY he was working at home over the weekend. He and I have one of those strange relationships of mutual regard, camaraderie, and the occasional snit fit thrown in. On more than one occasion I have told him "Shut the hell up!" to which he replies silently using his middle finger.

Yet there is more to this working relationship than meets the eye. My boss is someone I can rely on completely when I need someone to have my back. He's also someone who appreciates what I do, knows that he could not do it without me, and makes sure that those higher up than him know it. He often talks about having me replace him someday when he is ready to retire. A thought that makes me shudder. Not because I don't want him to retire but because I refuse to work or live here that long! He's capable of great kindness in his old, grumpy way. When I was in serious financial straits a couple of years ago he walked into my office and tossed several hundred dollars on my desk. No words, no expectations of being paid back - just a nod to say "here, take this, you need it right now." He's the type of guy who doesn't take himself too seriously which you can only know about him if you take the time to get to know him. His exterior is all work. He scares people. Most people think he's difficult to read so they're a bit afraid of him. He can annoy the living crap out of any one. He's prone to snap decisions that, more often than not, go awry and make more work for everyone. He closes his eyes when he speaks to give him the air of deep thought but mostly it just looks silly. And if you call him on it, he appreciates you immediately. He can give as good as he gets and would give you the shirt off his back.

There are two other supervisors here and I can honestly say they hate him. I've often heard them complaining about him and his ways. I think the problem is they just don't get him. He has a wealth of knowledge but a short term memory loss. He has a rich personal history but rarely shares it with anyone because it makes him feel too exposed. He can be gruff and frank which sometimes hurts feelings. I've seen people fall to tears when he's gotten angry. But I know his secret. He's just a really nice guy under all that rough facade.

Here's just one more example. For the past two years I've been struggling to get our agency in the mix of managed care for the disabled. It's been a long uphill battle and it has taken it's toll on many people here. It's plain hard and the stress is not something everyone can stand. I've managed. The other day my crabby boss came in my office and said "You work too hard and you don't make enough." He then said, "Seriously, we could never have done this without you. I sure as hell couldn't have done it. Not without losing my sanity. So here...". He tossed a yellow slip on my desk. Mr. Crankyknowitall had gone to the board and convinced them to give me a 10% raise. I was floored. But it just goes to show what I have known all along. My boss is a gem.

Being the boss while the boss is away....

I talk about my boss alot in this blog, don't I? I like my boss...I hate my boss... but I like him...weird. He's off on vacation to Vegas this week so I get to be him. Before he left he briefed me on the "important" things that I would have to address while he was gone. I told him that to truly "be him" I would have to wander around the building, never take a phone call, and when someone comes to me with a problem I have to answer "Wow...you've got a problem..." as he always does. He told me to "shut the hell up."

He once told me that I was the only person here at this agency that he could see taking his place when he retires. That's very flattering. But, if I'm still working here by the time he retires then, please god, someone come here and shoot me. My three year plan does NOT include continuing to work here.

So, back to my boss...

He goes to Vegas about four times each year. He's an old, single guy with no family so that's what he spends his money on. He plays nickel slots and, oddly enough, he wins. He always comes back with about $200 more than he left with. And he always brings me a souvenir. Last time he went I got the nifty plastic pen from his hotel room. Yeah, he's cheap too.

But here's another thing about him. I already told you earlier how he once slipped me a wad of dough to pay my bills with no strings attached. Well, a few years ago, there was a man who worked here who was diagnosed with cancer. It was terminal. This guy was a great guy too. Everyone loved him. In his last couple of years, he was pretty sick but my boss made sure that he got out, did things, ate, and just didn't wallow in his illness. He took him to Vegas three times - paid for everything and made all the arrangements. The last time they went he needed a lot of stuff set up ahead of time. My boss had second thoughts about taking him but he said he knew he would never get back there and this would be his last time. He was right. He got really, really sick while they were there and had to be airlifted by medical transport back to Wisconsin where he died. My boss paid for all of that. No questions asked. No expectations on his family to reimburse him. So, yeah, he's a great guy.

I still hate him...but like him too. Haha!! Now that I think of it though, I may be able to fill in for him for a week or two while he's on vacation but I don't think I could ever really fill his shoes.

So...how's your day?....

I've been back at work for about a full week now. I just have to laugh that absolutely nothing has changed. It's all still the same old kerfluffled mess it was when I left for vacation. My boss, a man I both love and hate at the same time, told me that I just have to keep at this job for four and a half more years. I asked him why and he said "'Cause that's when I can retire and you can have my job!" See, love and hate him. Little does he know that I have no intention of being here for four more years!! Nor do I want his crappy job. I can barely stand my own.

My boss is kind of a strange guy. On the one hand, he can be the most exasperating individual ever. He often says things like "Oh, yes, I was just thinking of that!" or "I was just going to say that!" or "I was working at home this weekend and...". The truth is, is it evident that he was not just thinking of anything, had no intention of saying anything and the mere idea of him actually working on the weekend makes everyone laugh. Those are just his knee jerk responses to things that come up. The more he says them, the more exasperating they are.

But, on the other hand, I've seen him do many acts of great kindness. A couple of years ago I was in a really bad financial situation and had no way to pay my rent or bills. He knew this was happening and one morning he just walked into my office, set down a wad of hundred dollar bills and said, "Just pay me back when you can or better yet, don't pay me back but do the same thing for someone else someday." It was a pretty extraordinary thing for him to do and I know that I'm not the only one he's done that for. So, he's sort of a lovable asshole.

The best part about my boss is that he doesn't stand on pretense. If he gives me crap, I can give it back and he takes it all in stride. I can honestly say that I have told my boss to "Shut the hell up" and haven't been fired. I have flipped him the finger too...in a meeting...and still not fired. He just flips it back and we get on with it. He likes to try to intimidate people and you earn his respect by standing up to him. I tell him he's got "short people" syndrome. That's when he usually tells me to "shut the hell up."