Well, the unpleasantness went down on Monday. The incompetent man went to his boss, most likely on Friday, complaining about a now unsupervisible employee (yours truly) who clearly is bringing down the moral of the team as well as being a raging racist.

A meeting was arranged for Monday. I was ready for the fight and I’m sure came off a little defensive, but also certainly held my ground and made my point. For the first two-thirds of the meeting, the incompetent man rattled on at length about how I make everyone’s job harder and no one likes me and I’m a really mean, bad man. I fairly calmly deflected, acknowledged where appropriate, and stated my frustrations with the incompetent man’s job performance, but made no personal attacks. The boss listened politely, but also stated repeatedly that I was making valid statements. Were it a boxing match, through eight rounds I’m certainly unanimously ahead on points.

Then, as the boss tried to wrap things up with the old, “well let’s all agree to work on some things” mantra, the incompetent man, now visibly upset, pulls out what I assume in his mind is the trump card and subtly declares that, per our conversation on Thursday, I secretly go home in a white robe and pointy white hat.

I call his declarations ridiculous, brush his statement aside, and decide to put on the gloves of fury. I state that respect has nothing to do with race and everything to do with the integrity and ethics that one choses to carry oneself with. I then vault into the bevy of flagrant violations of common sense and good ethics displayed by the incompetent man over the past year and half. I am not yelling, but the statements are made forcefully and with confidence in their truth.

The incompetent man is now too angry to deny the accusations and instead ackowledges and tries to excuse them. He then openly states that he under no circumstance will he supervise me any longer at this job and at this point I can’t stand the incompetence anymore. I quietly say, “Well. Ok then, I’ll put in my two weeks,” and leave the room.

I typed up a letter of resignation, turned it in and worked out the remainder of my shift with some confused looks from co-workers who I’m sure quickly heard the rumors.

But, here’s the thing. It didn’t feel like a win. The problem being that I walked out, giving the incompetent man his way and leaving me with no feeling of vindication. And also no steady job for the forseeable future (which would be fine if the house were sold and I knew when we were moving, but it hasn’t sold yet). Nothing had changed. The incompetence would continue.

Things looked up on Tuesday though when I asked to speak with the boss to clear some things up and instead he asked me to reconsider my resignation and also asked for more details of the incompetent man’s job violations and clearly was taking the accusations serously. Again I don’t know how it’s all going to play out, but at this point I am reconsidering.