Sunday, September 18, 2005

Crossroads

***Warning: Long Post Ahead***

I find myself at a crossroads, of sorts.

First, a quick bright note. The weekend was lovely. EH and I ran errands all day Friday, getting new tires, an oil change, boarding our labrador...on Saturday morning we woke SG at 6 am and she was extraordinarily cheery. I began to wonder if she knew something was up. We told her we had a ton of meetings and errands to run and she went along with it. We were on the road, heading north when we finally began to break it to her.

EH asked how she felt about her parents lying to her and she was confused. We told her we weren't really running errands, but heading to Universal Studios. She was shocked. It took several moments for her to grasp it. We had a great day. We rode rides, we laughed, we ate, we enjoyed each other thoroughly. It was wonderful. No cell phone, no stress, no drama - just us. PlayBoy and his family were there too, although we didn't meet up until dinnertime. It was a pleasure to chat with his wife and SG hit it off with his stepdaughter quite well.

We got home today around noon and have been lazy ever since.

So...drama updates. I actually dread writing them, but a part of me hopes getting them out will start the closure process.

First, on Thursday I went to lunch with EH and G-man. CB called me on the way back from lunch and asked if EH and I could come see her this weekend. I explained that we had travel plans and couldn't and she told me she had another new opportunity. Some Texas millionaire was going to front the money for her to open a wholesale lending company and she was taking all of 'us'. There were promises of fabulous offices, equipment, investors and so on. She wanted me. I felt sick. I told her I needed to speak with her immediately.

I returned to the office and sat down with her and told her that this would be my last day. I explained that I had gone out and found my own opportunity and that I was exhausted by the drama and stress of the office. She began to ask if she had a place in my new company. I diplomatically offered to check and left it there.

I planned to work late Thursday to finish all my tasks and not leave any loose ends. At about 5:20 pm, CB's young son was running and playing when a 300 lb table top to a conference room table fell on his leg. It turned purple instantly and we were all sure it was broken. CB scooped him up and raced out of the office to the hospital. I spoke with her by cell every 15 minutes to talk, comfort, check on him, etc. In the end, the diagnosis was "acute contusion" (bad bruise) and crutches and an orthopedic specialist to check the knee were suggested.

Friday morning, EH and I were determined to forget the drama. But the day started with CB's calls to rehash her opportunity. Her millionaire had committed to her and she wanted me on board. We hung up and I avoided her calls for the rest of the day.

My voice mails ran the gamut from "I love you no matter what you choose" to "Why aren't you calling me back?" to "I heard from people in the office that you don't trust me, why can't you talk to me?"

I was never so relieved to be on the road away from my cell phone signal in my life. (MetroPCS, unlimited local and long distance but limited service area) I can only imagine what spiral she's turned by now.

I'm torn. Honestly, I am torn. During the past few months, I have seen small glimpses of this woman and I believe she means well. But I've also seen her insanity and her hypocritical side and been amazed at her manipulative and awful she can be. Do I walk away? Do I owe her a return call to lay it all out there and tell her how I feel and apologize, but draw a boundary?

It's a large industry with a small and tight grapevine. We're bound to see one another, heck - half my new staff was once hers. There are ties, like them or not. To walk away and ignore her is to create an enemy. Perhaps I need to have that talk with her and just explain all my concerns and feelings and leave it on at least an honest note. Things right now are a mess between us and I don't want to be tripping over this mess for years to come. I would rather clean it up and face the results.

Sometimes you clean up a room and find an ugly carpet underneath instead of a pristine rug, but walking across it is a hell of a lot easier when you aren't tripping over the scattered castoffs.

I'm leaning towards the latter choice. I just need to first muster the energy and time to do it and today is not that day.

Tomorrow starts the new job for EH and I. I got the title of "Wholesale Production Manager". Impressed? Don't be. It was for political reasons and although it has much room to grow, it starts with a small role.

I have a bone to pick with PlayBoy tomorrow. He did a boneheaded thing and needs to get chewed out. As Sales Manager, he "hired" someone without consulting anyone else (which he is required to do) and when I heard the name, my jaw dropped. He hired his long-distance mistress. I'm planning to return his boxer shorts (no longer pinned to the wall!) to him tomorrow morning. A shame if she happens to be around to see it. He's off immediately for a tradeshow, but he won't go without knowing I'm ticked off that he would mess around with our 'new' venture by pulling exactly the sort of stunt CB would have done. I adore PlayBoy, as rotten as he can be, and I'll be damned if he's going to create any of the drama we just escaped...

But how was your weekend?

Posted by Red :: 9:23 PM :: | ---------------------------------------