Workplace Word Vomit?
By SmallFryK
@SmallFryK (115)
United States
May 5, 2011 8:50pm CST
Have you ever had a workplace word vomit? For better clarification, word vomit is when your thoughts rush out of your mouth without a second thought that tells you not to say it.
I was thinking about one of my more famous "workplace word vomits" today, but first I have to explain where I work. I work in an office, in accounting. Prior to that, I worked in clerical, as a secretary. The office I work for is no longer referred to as the Welfare office, but most people still recognize the term and will know what I mean. So among food stamps, we deal with state medical issues, child care assistance, juvenile probation, and social services.
When I worked in clerical, I had to stand at the front counter often. Now, this is a stressful environment, one that has a negative atmosphere almost all the time. I am lucky enough that, for the most part, I can control my temper when someone else is screaming in my face that they haven't worked in 8 years, didn't turn in their check stubs, and now it's my fault that they didn't get their food stamps.
However, one afternoon, this girl (who had been giving me massive attitude the prior two times she had been at the counter), was trying to inform me that she didn't know the names of anyone else that lived in her house, their ages, or her own social security number. I told her to fill it out as best as she could, but that we needed names and her social because it wasn't considered a complete application without and that I could not take it.
As she huffed and pufffed her way back to her table, she remarked, "Well, you might as well just call me retarded."
And then came my word vomit, which I managed to somehow spew forth with ease as if I had been expecting the comment all along: "No, we have an additional form for that."
At this point, she screamed (from across the room): "WHAT?!?!?!"
And I, no longer able to control myself, had to walk away. And laugh. I laughed because it was funny, and at the same time, not.
Anyone else had a workplace word vomit? Or even just a different kind of word vomit?
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