A Friday Flip Off!

This is my first time joining Flip Off Friday. But, after the events that have happened this week, I need to vent in a major way. So, I apologize if I start to ramble here. I’m so frustrated.
Here is a little background information. I work in a busy sales office. I am one of three secretaries who answer phones and other tasks. I think I’m seriously about to flip on one of the girls. For weeks now, she has had collection agencies calling here or she has been calling different people. It’s the same story, every call. She will sit at her desk and yell at these people. Every call I hear, “I TOLD YOU NOT TO CHARGE ME!” Or, I hear, “Please do not charge me this week, I don’t have the money”. Ok, before you start to judge me and think I’m being heartless. I’ve been there don’t that. But, I also didn’t do it at my desk for the whole department to hear. I also didn’t not let it affect my ability to do my job. She will be on sooooo many different calls a day and will not put them on hold to answer our business lines. That’s irriation number one for me. Why should I have to stop working to answer the phone when apparently you don’t have anything to do. If it’s not money related, she is on the phone with her mother. We are talking 30+ minutes a call, on the company’s bill. Iritation number 2.
Here is where it gets good. Her husband had a heart attack on the 9th or something like that. That isn’t the good part, that must have been awful for him and her family. I would not wish that on anyone. So, she missed a week and a half of work, one week being unpaid. She is back to work now and the calls have gotten worse. I can’t believe how she can sit at her desk knowing that if I can hear her, the VP of sales who sits behind her can hear. She has started to tell me what is going on. I don’t know why. She has to know that I don’t like her or her lack of work ethic for the past two years. She told me that she signed up for some things online not knowing they would charge their account. So, they keep charging her account, things she signed up for mind you. I guess in all, they have taken over $800 which include overdraft fees from the bank. Again, that sucks, but you kind of did it to yourself. No sympathy. I’ve answered calls for months about cell phones and car insurance being past due.
Here’s what has put me over the edge. This week, she had the nerve to contact our local United Way for money. She gave them the story about how her husband had a heart attack and they both missed a week of work. She did not give one ounce of information that they have been having issues looong before his heart attack. I guess they denied her. Then, she had her oldest son co-sign a personal loan so they can get their checking account out of the hole. She pulled his credit report without asking and is going to pay him back. She has 4 months to pay it back. Hello?! If you haven’t been able to pay your bills for months, how are you going to pay a loan that your 22yr old son got for you? I would never do that to my child. I don ‘t get it.
The kicker is that since the United Way denied her any help, she went to our HR department to see if they could do a jeans day for her. We do them every Friday for local charities and the occasional employee. They agreed!!! Once again, I’m sure that she did not tell them the whole story. This really ticks me off because I know of a few coworkers who have asked for a jeans day and they were denied. They actually had valid situations. Such has a relative who also worked at our company who died in a car accident and left behind 5 kids. Or the guy who’s toddler was run over and was in a children’s hospital for a couple of months because she had major brain injuries. I would gladly give them my $3 to wear jeans. I won’t give my $3 because you have bad money management skills and everyone is coming after you!
She just got off the phone with some other agency asking for help for the next couple of weeks. UGH. It’s people like her that really make it difficult for people who really need the help and can’t get it. I know of a single Mom who is behind on all her major bills because she gets no child support. She has tried to ask for assistance and was told she makes too much money. Really? But this lady who has two incomes coming in can get two weeks worth of cash even though she will get a paycheck in a week.
Like I said, I’ve been there. I’ve had collections calling me. I’ve been broke. Heck, just last week after our bills were paid, I had $70 to buy groceries, diapers, and gas for the week. She has also told someone she has money in her checking, like $50. Yeah, that isn’t a lot, but it’s more then a lot of families have. PLUS, she has her two older kids who work full-time living with her, rent free. You are telling me that can’t cover some groceries for a week?
So please, don’t juge me. Do you think I’m being to harsh? I just don’t understand why she expects everyone to cover her mistakes.