That's why!

This morning I slept through my alarm again and missed the bus to work... so when I got there my boss was furious. It was absurd. I was 15 minutes late to a job that I usually do an extra hour of overtime. So I looked in his eyes and sat down on the opposite side of his office desk.

"This can't keep happening. There are people who would kill for this job and would frankly do much better than you. I get that it's not your ideal occupation but you'll simply end up with none at this rate." His harsh voice cut into me.

"Sir, with all due respect I don't think I'm the problem."

"You are pushing your luck miss. What part of this is not your fault. You are continually late and I am sick of it." The vein in his forehead looked as if it would shoot out right at me.”

"Well, I think that deep down you have a problem that is causing this." I objected.

"Do you hear yourself!? This has gone to your irresponsibility to something about me that you have obviously pulled out of thin air - or thick stupidity!"

“Okay, okay. I know this seems like an excuse now that I think about it but truly, Sir, I have been thinking about this for a long time. It is clear why this is happening.

“Yes, it is! You are not being a reliable employee. You’re acting as if you are not in the wrong.” He replied. At this stage he was becoming ridiculous. He was blind to the real problem!

“You are worked up because you have failed your responsibilities as a leader at this workplace and you are insecure about your ability to run the office.”

“How DARE YOU! You are blatant to your own flaws and believe you are nothing but perfect. Let me get this straight. First, you show know commitment to a normal 9 to 5 job, second you immediately reverse the situation with excuses that are belittling me and third you expect it to be okay because you still believe you are right! Well let me tell you something. I am perfectly fine. My main problem is the person sitting in front of me. You have no respect, self awareness or self control. This is the last straw. You are fired!!”

“You are misunderstanding me. I am simply trying to help you. I understand you are flustered because I have revealed your biggest fears, assuring that they are in fact accurate and real.”

“I’m misunderstanding you!? You are completely ignoring my words – trying to find a hidden meaning that isn’t there. Well let me make it clear to you.” He took a shaky breath and in a calmer tone he said it “You’re fired.”

This came as a shock to me. He was hopeless in and I had failed to help him. IT didn’t matter though. I mean he denied my help afterall. So I packed up my stuff and left. I decided to stop pushing. But I knew I was right.

With a box in my arms and my coat draped over my arm I marched down the street and caught the next bus home. I got into my apartment and slammed the door shut. I walked into the living room to watch television when I heard a cough from my room mates’ room.  So I popped into her room and sat on the edge of her bed.

“Hey Steph, why are you at the pharmacy?” I asked. She stared at me blankly for a second before sneezing and pointing at the piles of tissues around her. “Oh! Your sick. Right. You don’t have to pretend around me!”

“I am not pretending! I have the flu.” She replied in a congested voice that was obviously fake.

“Yes. The flu. Of course.”

“I’m serious!” Her weak attempt at shouting was followed by a short coughing fit.

“Yes! Perfect timing for coughing.”

“Okay, you’re getting annoying… So why are you home early?”

“I got fired, that’s all.”

“Oh my gosh, Clara! This is your third job this year. What did you do this time?”

“Well I was late and my boss got angry.”

“There’s more isn’t there?”

“Well, apparently I was insulting and supposedly pointing out peoples flaws is “uncalled for” and “rude”.

“Yeah, it is. I’m assuming that is what you did.”

“Mhmm, that’s exactly what I did”

“ – but he was in the wrong wasn’t he!” She rolled her eyes as she said it.

“Yeah! He got defensive about it. I must of hit a sore spot.”

“You really don’t understand, do you? You’re wrong about everyone and all you’re doing is offending people unnecessarily.”

“Now you’re just offending me!”

“Am I? Sorry but I’m just telling the truth… I just want to help you.”

“Hey You’re mimicking me!”

We continued like this for a while until I realised it. She is not at work because of something other than sickness. She is scared of what others think of her so she has resulted to staying away from people by having a sick day. I explained this to her and it only seemed to make things worse and I don’t understand why. So, I left her alone and watched T.V for the rest of the afternoon.

That night I ordered food for us and went into her room with a plate of it.

“Here, I got you dinner – but I think you have something to say to me.”

“Me? I have something to say?” She reached for the plate and I retracted my arm.

“Look, I get it. It’s very hard to confront your issues and easier to ignore them so now that I have forced you to stare them in the eye this has happened. But I forgive you! I am happy to forget this all.”

“You forgive me? You expect me to say sorry?” She took a deep breath. “Get out of my room.”

“But - ”

“ – Now!”

I don’t understand why this always happens to me. For some reason everyone I know has fatal flaws and it ruins our relationships – That’s why!