“I have heard my animals’ voices again…”: DEADWEIGHT

This is a great example of the workplace entitlement-syndrome and super-annoying, quasi-martyrdom that is experienced when working with pseudo grandmas who think they have better things to do at work than actual work.

Edita has an important job in Accounting which requires attentiveness, accuracy, timeliness, courteous manner AND attendance. That being said, a typical day for Edita will include several trips to various locations on campus where animals are housed and trained.  *That is besides her regular, lunchtime power-walks and weekly, hour-long phone calls to Latveria from the Purchasing office.

My theory is Edita thinks that she is entitled to work here and that we are privileged to have her.  Why? Because she is an avid lover of all animals and has literally created a bird sanctuary outside her window in our office.  She can regularly be seen hanging out the window with a broom-handle as she attempts to scare the fattest squirrels I’ve EVER seen in any suburban area away from the bird-feeder.

Several complaints had been voiced about her animal visitations last year; one of which came in writing from the Wildlife Director after hearing a disturbing report from one of his staff. Apparently, not only does Edita love animals but she prioritizes them above such things like other humans, safety, rules and, of course, WORK.

On her afternoon walk one day (one of two 15-min breaks), she came upon an animal handler in a small riding ring with a new pony.  Edita was literally hanging over the fence trying to get her animal-lover hands on that pony; she just couldn’t help herself.  The handler stopped walking the animal around the ring and directly asked Edita NOT to pet him as he was a new resident and was still being assessed until they got a handle on his personality. She told Edita, “He could bite me or you if you make him nervous so please stay back while we are in here”.

Now, Edita understands English very well and is not mentally impaired (this fact is now currently up for debate) so nobody gets WHY in the seven-hells she just HAD to pet that animal; but she did.

Four emails, 3 phone calls and 2 in-person meetings later and a new precedent is set – a member of our staff is now banned from visiting the Wildlife Center.  This has never happened before. It also has solidified our office as being the most idiotically tolerant of moronic behavior.

Way to go, Edita!