[derekbreden]

At one previous job, during a 1:1, boss was pressing for anything I would change about the job, anything that could be improved. I had said no nothing several times, and so I replied in what I hoped would be understood as jest, “I guess Billy’s gum chewing”.

“Have you talked to him about it?” “It’s really not a problem” “Well I could sit you farther away from him, but we don’t have any open desks on this side of the office, do you want to sit on the other side by yourself?” “I didn’t mean that, I’d rather keep my desk.” “Well I don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”

“Well that went downhill fast.” - I did not say out loud.

I got the vibe I wasn’t the first to bring it up, and perhaps others had been less ambivalent towards the interruption.

I like my dead pan delivery of ridiculous statements. I had not considered the ramifications of that one being taken seriously, nor that it might be.