Last night at a business function, I was exposed to a possible stab in the back by a higher level supervisor at my company. He (I'll call him "Billy") and I were talking to a potential new business partner ("Newton") at an open house event, when Billy said to Newton, "so, I'll see you on Monday afternoon?". Say what? You see, I know Newton from last year, when he was a good friend of a former co-worker. Newton would come by to the office and chit-chat with co-worker, and they both comisserated (sp?) on how their lives sucked because of their recent divorces, and how their damn ex's are taking them to the cleaners and beyond. Other than that, Newton didn't have much else to do, so he would try to engage me in conversation, even though I was slammed with new biz, but I'll be a nice guy and listen to his stories. Anyway, long story short, one day, co-worker goes off the deep end and quits the company to seek serious mental help. Didn't see Newton much after that, until one day this year, he stopped by to say he's the new sales manager at a prominent homebuilder in the area. A home builder that Billy had a previous relationship with, but was so mis-managed that they dropped our company's services. So when I see that Newton is now with them, I jump on the opportunity to rekindle the relationship. Newton is ok with the idea; he says he likes me and that if his new company will let him, he'll not only recommend they use us, but he'll also demand that I be the point man on the project...so he says. What do I care if he's b.s.-ing me? It could be true, and I get a huge builder acct, or it all could be shit, and I dont' lose any ground cuz it was never to happen anyway. Well, I'm going with the former. So one day, I'm in Billy's office, and I tell him hey, guess who I ran into, and guess who he's working with nowadays? Right away, I see Billy's all into it, but he's trying to hold it back, cuz he knows what I'm going to say next. So I say it anyway: "and if we can get back on board with Newton's company, he said he wants me to manage the account, and I'm all for it." To which Billy sez, Sure, but let's see what Newton has to say about it. Billy tries to call him right then and there, but Newton isn't answering, so Billy leaves him a message. Billy and Newton go back several yrs -- I found out that Billy had been trying to recruit Newton, but Newton didn't take the bait. Newton also knows Billy's good friend ("Dean"), and Billy has the idea that Newton's company, if it comes back to us, will be managed by Dean. But I'm not privy to any of this until last night, when Billy says to Newton, "So we're going to get together on Monday, right?"..."and are you ok if Dean joins us?". I can see Newton is somewhat uncomfortable, because he now realizes I don't know what's going on. Newton says Yeah, sure, we'll talk Monday, and Billy walks off. I turn to Newton and say "what's that all about?". Newton tells me to my face that he's tired of their bullshit, he wants me to be there instead of Dean, he's tired of dealing with Dean. Yeah, right, I'm thinking, but why would this guy bullshit me to my friggin face?
Yeah, yeah, you're saying Welcome to the Real World of Cutthroat Business. That's bullshit, I say. I'm a big believer in Karma -- I've seen it happen, and I'm convinced that shit happens for a reason, and the things that happen to you are for a reason. There were 1300 people at this event. I knew maybe 10. It took me 30 minutes to get there from my house, and I was an hour late to the event, but when I got there, I saw that I wasn't the only one being fashionable. Plus, I got lost getting to there, and I had to make a 10-minute correction. When I finally get there, I stumble and fumble with stuff in my pockets, yet for some reason, it was meant to be, cuz when I finally get going (after going back to the car twice like an absent-minded schoolgirl), I see Newton driving in at the same time. I didn't know he would be there, but it's weird that we cross paths at the same time. Not only that, but I run into another former co-worker that's now a bigshot at a rival big bank, and we've been playing phonetag for months, trying to find a half hour to squeeze in a lunch so we can catch up, and I know she wants to recruit me. We've had absolutely no luck in connecting, but guess who I run into while waiting in line for the courtesy bus to take us to the open house? Yeah, her. Didn't know she was going to be there, either, but suddenly I find myself at the hip with not only two people I know, but two people that I want to know and I want them to know me, know what I mean?
Which brings us back to "what's that all about?". I'm pissed about this, but I'm at peace for the most part, cuz I know Billy and Dean (and maybe Newton) are messing with some bad karma right now. Former she-worker sez Call me, let's keep in touch, things are changing at our bank, and I want you to be a part of it. Hmm, I say, damn skippy, let's keep in touch. Especially if I'm going to get fucked in the ass by Billy, Dean and Newton. Maybe I'll beat them to it. Or maybe there's more to the story. Billy tells me to my face how much he appreciates my help with his business line. I want to be in Billy's good graces cuz he knows people, and he's an old man and will soon give this up, and I want to be considered for the position when the day comes. But there's something more there, something that I'm not quite sure of yet. It'll take more investigative research. And I may approach Billy after Monday to say, hey, how was that meeting with Newton, and why wasn't I invited?? It had better make sense, otherwise here comes the bad karma, fool...
