Monday, May 07, 2007

The Napoleon Syndrome

Prelude: A couple of years ago, I was wooing a sweet girl from Terengganu. She responded positively towards my advances (nothing physical, mind you) and we got on rather well. One day, we had a silly argument, one I believe, where every couple experience once in a while. In trying to get even with me, she had a male-friend sms-ed me, asking him to claim she's his fiancee. He later gave me several missed calls, in hope - I think - that I'll call back; I couldn't be bothered. The girl then asked why didn't I return the call. I simply told her: "Your so-called fiance values the RM3-4 price of a call to me (assuming we would have talked a lengthy bit) over you! If I were him, I would not have just made the call, but I would personally come over to where ever the guy who is disturbing my fiancee is, and sock him in the eye, to say the very least! I wonder what kind of a man he is, and I sincerely do pity you being engaged to him! Off course, that is assuming he is your fiance as he claims!" The matter died there and then, and so did the relationship.

4 days ago: My mobile phone rang. By the time I took it out of the pouch, looked at the name of the caller, it had rang 3 times. And that was just it, it rang no more. I waited and waited, but there were no follow-up calls from the same person - my new boss! A boss giving a missed call?!! Huh! With a salary way above me and perhaps the telephone bill paid for by the office, he's giving me a missed call? I couldn't be bothered!


Present day: I was informed that there's an anomaly that afflicts certain people. Though this anomaly have been traced to exist several centuries ago, the rising number of cases in the present times is a cause of concern amongst certain quarters. It is only of late that independent researchers have found that this anomaly is not related to the genes of the afflicted individuals. Though the physical physical attributes do play a role, researchers have found out that the social upbringing and standing of the afflicted play a major role in what is now been unofficially named 'Napoleon's Syndrome'. In blunt words: Short people have tall ego!

I guess, by now, you would know where this piece of writing is heading to. If you guessed correctly that its about my boss, then you deserve a 'no-prize'. I repeat: Short people have tall ego! If you don't believe me, go and ask Dilbert!

Hey! I am never the one to judge people nor hold any prejudiced or bias thoughts about them. Well, I do admit that once in a a blue moon, the devil does try to entice me with such thoughts. And perhaps they're succeeding now. But no! Though time and again proven wrong - much to my dismay and sometimes, peril - I try my best to push such thoughts away. But I am also human, and thus susceptible to the frailties of the human mind and emotion. In simple words, I do feel hurt.

In another time and another office, I was forced to play office politics when the Chairman wanted to elevate a new guy in the office (coincidentally, his close friend), to take over my role in the office as the number one guy! Though the Chairman and I were also childhood buddies, it seems greed (read: corruption) and skin colour were the factors for the Chairman wanting to elevate that new comer. Greed, as there plenty of ways they were devising to pull funds away from the organisation; skin colour, as they were both of the same colour.

'Kaf-Lam-Ye-Nge!" In my entire life prior to that episode, I was never a racist, nor have I ever uttered such contemptous swearing against any one, any race. But the misdeeds and cunning plans they laid before me forced me to act. Both later resigned without ever showing their face in the office after that. As for my part, I had no choice but to commit 'career sepuku'; it was the only honourable thing to do.

Back to what-is-now-formerly my new office, things that were discussed in a large 1st meeting between the office and its counterparts were never put into action. By the time I accepted the offer, the whole scenario changed; I was in limbo! Do forgive that stupid, silly, cakapaje bloke who, when shocked by drastic change, becomes a pull-by-the-nose oxen! But, that's typical cakapaje! In trying to keep matters to himself, he becomes stumped, stupefied and an idiot!

Anyway, after 2weeks of waiting for the simple matters of 1) a calling card; and 2) sales report from counterpart offices; things were just begging to explode. Around the same time, Ijok by-election was on the cards. Now that its over...care to make room for me at the 5-foot corner?

But the icing of it all must be when a girl from the other office asked why I did not call her boss. I told her that he is her boss, not mine! Twice he promised to drop by in the office, only to reneged on the promises without even a note! Further, I called him twice previously. Shouldn't he have the courtesy to call me? To all that, she replied "Men, and their male ego!" Hello...!

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