And with friends like this, who needs enemies??

Many moons ago I posted about wanting friends and how hard it is to make friends. I am beginning to re-think the whole thing. I have a “friend”- let’s call her L. She is my work friend. We go out to lunch several times a week. We talk about our families, people at work, and just general things that friends talk about. We haven’t done anything together outside of work. I am a grants administrator here at work, and I also manage her grant. She does most of the work actually, but I am the one the writes the grant, gets it approved, and handles all the administrative things. This has put me in a somewhat compromising position between doing my job and being her friend.

Without going into too much detail, apparently she desperately wants to move to the “other” agency that co-exists within the grant. To give her credit, she has had issues buying things that were approved for the grant and it has been frustrating for both of us. However, she can be somewhat overbearing at times and expects things to get done when she wants them done. Anyone who has worked for a government agency before will tell you that ain’t how it works around here. She is pushy and it has gotten her into some trouble. Anyway, we just received the grant that pays her salary and all of the sudden “they” want to take over the grant. That’s fine with me. However, we are the ones that were awarded the grant and there are certain steps that need to be done in a certain order to make sure that everything is completed. “They” seem to think that they can get it done in a hurry. I just learned about this Tuesday, and by Wednesday evening it has turned into a big mess.

L came into my office first thing Wednesday morning asking me for a copy of the grant so that she could give it to “them” so they can start the process. Skip steps much? We are the ones that have to initiate and get the grant changed over. I was in the middle of something and told her I would get it for her in a few minutes. She tells me if I tell her where it is she will pull it for me to make the copies. Ummm hello??? You will NOT be rifling through my papers for something that you can wait for. She then proceeds to stand there and watch me do what I was doing. This gets me a little miffed. I can’t stand it when people rush me for things like that. I gave it to her and asked what she needed it for and when she told me I was even a little more upset since it isn’t “their” job to start the process. I had a call into the people I needed to talk to and was waiting to hear back from them to guide me as to what to do. I called her supervisor and was told what they were doing….not too cool in my book. They are basically three steps ahead of us in the whole process. I am sure she knew I was a little pissed~ I don’t hide my emotions well. I can’t help but feel that things have been done behind my back, and damn it is it my job.

Anyway, after she leaves I make an appointment to talk to “The Boss” to find out what they heck is going on. I talk to him about my conversations with L and her supervisor and my concerns with the entire thing. “The Boss” wants to talk to L. He calls her in to his office and tells her that we will be doing the transition the right way, yada yada yada. He never yelled at her or anything. I told her prior to, and he told her during the meeting, that in the end we are trying to protect her position because if something gets messed up then she will be the one that is out a job since it is entirely grant funded. Unbeknownst to me my supervisor was meeting with her supervisor to discuss this very issue over lunch at the same exact time.

At 4:20 or so I receive a call from L’s supervisor. He proceeded to fuss, complain, and yell at me. This didn’t go over well with me since I was only doing my job, and I in no way shape or form work for him or his agency. In a nutshell, it was a who do you think you are conversation. I explained to him that I was upset because they have already started the process without even getting in touch with me (the one person who is capable of getting it done on our end) and informing me of what was going on, and was told that he didn’t have to report to me. That went over really well, let me tell you. I was so mad that I was in tears. I went to “The Boss” and my supervisor and told them about the conversation and to expect a phone call tomorrow. Guess who called him and told him that I said they were trying to screw us?... You bet ya- L did. Thanks for throwing me under there bus there L! Thanks a fucking lot.

The next morning I was going over the conversation again with my supervisor when L’s supervisor called. Things have quieted down somewhat, but it is all still a big mess. The grant people called me and are in the process of figuring out what we have to do, but “they” are still way ahead of themselves.

I was told this afternoon by my supervisor that L is pissed and she has been told not to ask for any information relating to the grant unless it is financial. We will take care of it and let her know what is going on when we know. I was also told by him that I shouldn’t talk to her anymore, personally or professionally. That’s nice to know. I would love to know what else she has been saying about me. I have done everything she has ever asked me to do, and stuck up for her when no one else did and this is how she repays me?

Thanks but no thanks!

So needless to say, I quite enjoyed my glass of wine last night. I might just have another one tonight. Thank God tomorrow is Friday.

Labels: friends, rant