Ok, I'm in full-on rant mode right now, so bear with me. Because we have a roving English teacher this year during my 4th period prep I have to leave my classroom to work in the English Department workroom.
This is fine for the most part, but means that I have to talk to people who come in to make copies. Today one of our law department teachers came in to do so and engaged me in conversation.
He said, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a long time but thought it might be inappropriate."
Let me just tell you that this man is quite a bit older, and has come to teaching as something fun to do after a long career as a divorce lawyer here in Vegas. So, I thought that maybe "innapropriate" was code for personal. I cautiously told him to go ahead, thinking that I would refuse to answer if it was too wierd.
What followed, however, didn't make me uncomfortable, it made me EXTREMELY ANGRY.
He said, "You know last year when you presented strategies to us on Professional Development Day?"
Me: "Yes"
Him: "You said that you'd done several presentations that day and I saw that you were wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. My question is, why in the world would you wear jeans and a sweat shirt if you were presenting? That just seems really unprofessional to me and I just simply wouldn't be caught dead doing something like that."
I was absolutely stunned. Let's say that my appearance that day WAS unprofessional. WHAT BUSINESS IS IT OF YOURS TO TAKE ME TO TASK, OLD MAN?? In addition, this training that he's referring to was LAST NOVEMBER!! It has been nearly a year that he's been waiting to tell me this.
Now, let me give you the background.
1. On Professional Development Day the dress is casual. If I did dress up it would have been innappropriate. I was presenting to co-workers and wanted to match them.
2. I was wearing my AVID T-shirt and presenting AVID strategies.
I cannot believe the rudeness of this man. After I explained the two items above he smiled condescendingly and pointed to his shirt and tie and said, "This is appropriate presentation attire."
Well, SCREW YOU OLD MAN!
I know. I know. This whole situation says more about him than me, but GRRRRRRRRR!!!
UPDATE: Today is Staff Development Day and EVERY SINGLE PRESENTER has done so in jeans and a t-shirt. FYI.
13 comments:
No, no, this situation says plenty more about him than you. LAST NOVEMBER? Wow.
Yeah. I'm still kinda mad about it, actually. And I kinda wish I'd told him that his students think he wears Depends. Really. They told me last year.
But that would be catty, wouldn't it?
Yeah, it would be, but it would feel good, for a second anyway. Than you'd probably feel bad because you're a nice person. Too bad though, he deserves a good BURN!
He must be the kind of guy that he files away every incident he encounters when he believes himself superior so he can pat himself on the back (repeatedly) and advise all others of his superiority. Some people believe that their opinion is the only way not an opinion. I'm sorry that he felt the need to be so rude to you and ruin your day. love you
What a jerk. I can imagine him awake at night wondering why you were wearing jeans to a presentation. hmmmm.. Maybe he is part of the "man plan", just a thought...
Ok Christy. HE'S LIKE 70. and he has wierd slicked back longish old man hair. You're gross.
Seriously...not like I have any room to call people out on their sad lives, and obsessive tendencies, but what a sad life he must lead.
A YEAR LATER and he still is obsessing on what you wore to a training?
Shoot me when I get to that point. As my friend, that is your duty.
That guy is a douchebag! I thought of you today as I got ready for Staff Development Day. I wore my short/gaucho pant thingys. I didn't present, but it wouldn't have mattered. It's Staff Development Day! It's kind of the point, we take two hour lunches and catch up on all the stuff we don't have time to do when kids are interrupting us every two seconds. That's the end of my rant, for now!
I was only halfway through your post when I thought, "Hmm... this guy sounds so familar." When I got to the part about the slicked back old man hair, I realized I definitely know him. He taught English at Canyon, which was definintely not his forte, and I, out of the goodness of my heart, tried to help him for a little while, then realized it was entirely hopeless... He is hopeless. Really, you should feel pity for the sad, old, old man, especially if he's senile enough to dress up for Staff Development Day!
I hate lawyers. Being one myself, I can totally imagine an old lawyer saying something like this. We're not all that lame and obsessive, but he's not alone.
UGH.
I feel your pain. Perhaps I shouldn't say this b/c this happened like 12 years ago and I still get into a fury over it. But that totally reminds of the time I went to a dance at BYU and I was wearing a long sleeve, knee length(very much knee length), black dress. They let me in and then a few minutes later a lady came up to me and told me I had to leave b/c the kick pleat in the back looked inappropriate?! What??!! My pleat??!! I have to leave b/c of my pleat! I stormed out walked back to my apartment got a safety pin fixed the "offending" pleat and came back to the dance. Later that evening I kid you not I saw a girl at the dace in something backless!! The backless dress- okay... but the pleat on the black, long sleeve dress- highly offensive??!!
ZZ Top said it best: "She's gah-aht laaaay-eggs, she knows how to use 'em!"
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