Or, how to win in life through immaturity!
Do you all remember my story about the one doctor (LK) I work with who was extorting free massage out of me, five or ten minutes at a time, every time she threw her shoulder out again? And how I would always do it because I felt guilty saying no to someone in pain, but I was getting more and more resentful every time it happened? (Oh, sure, you do so remember; I know you're all taking notes when you read the blog. )
So, last week. Our office manager SH, she of the Led Zep fan fic, also has chronic neck/shoulder issues. Her trap was out of whack, and she wanted to schedule some work with me. We decided to do it the next day at lunch and I said I'd bring my chair in. "If LK knows you have your chair with you, she'll probably be interested," she said. I kind of rolled my eyes and said, "I doubt it. She's only interested in what she can get for free...but I didn't say that."
Cut to today. LK runs into me in the hall, tells me she heard I've been "fixing" SH, and says she's in horrible pain again, and can she hire me to fix her, too? So, after work, I gave her twenty minute chair massage, with the trigger point work that works so well for her, and charged her $25. She a.) raved about how much better she felt, b.) said it was worth far more than $25, and c.) actually tipped me, too. I am absolutely sure SH must have told her what I said (they're tight).
Apparently my problem is solved. Not through my acting like an actual mature adult person, but y'know, that's okay by me. Who says passive aggressive snottiness has to be wrong?
xoxo
6 comments:
I'm a big fan of passive-aggressive behavior. I think society would work much more smoothly if we all worked that way.
By example, look at this article from the NYTimes about therapists for the superrich... and how even the Masters of the Universe won't actually reschedule with their expensive therapists, they just disappear or get their expensive personal assistants to do it:
http://tinyurl.com/5co3ca
Now, if God's elect can be passive-aggressive, I don't see why you shouldn't...
(If she gave you a big tip, I think you probably charged her too little!)
I think the tip was secondary to either some guilt or some embarrassment when the fact that she's been getting a little free treatment here and a little free treatment there was pointed out to her :-)
In my happy happy kumbaya view of the world, I think most people are not sociopaths--they just don't realize how much they are taking advantage of other people and they have the good grace to be embarrassed when it becomes apparent to them.
A socially constructive ending and tip: what could be better?
Listen: around here, passive-aggressive behaviour is the norm, although it's usually the cats applying it to the people. But I'm all for it.
That was my nice comment. I deserve to be taken out and shot for the thought in my mind.
Now *that's* passive aggressive, hahahaha.
You could at least e-mail me what you won't post publicly, yo. Or, you can post it publicly and add "...but I didn't say that." :-)
I did say it: Remember, you asked. I wondered how she folded the tip. If it was lengthwise, the rates have got to go wayyy up!
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