Nat’s Story
What was it
about him that made her so angry? He was so aloof and smug that she wanted to
take her vinyl stick-on nails and rake his smiling face! He would just look at
her and then shake his head implying that she was just another dumb woman that
he would have to help out. She wanted him dead, dead but with a long painful
passing.
He would look up at her his eyes semi closed like he was
picturing her barefoot and in the kitchen. She had experienced sexism before
but he could do it without a word. One look from him and many of the women in
the workplace would scurry of to the tasks in fear like little ants. Okay, that
wasn’t true but she had imagined it.
To make
matters worse, Jennifer, one of the receptionist thought he was hilarious. She
would laugh at his antics and sexist remarks as if they were just the funniest
jokes she had ever heard. It was pitiable the way that Jennifer suppressed her
femininity in order to please him. He was a pig for bullying her the way that
he did and she was a cow to stand there and let it be done to her. Well, she
had put a stop to his fun and Jennifer had then tried to defend him. It was an
outrage, couldn’t the silly woman see what he was doing was wrong?
It had
started their war with each other. He would go out of his way to get at her and
she would call his bluff every time. What was so infuriating was how he just
let her criticism roll off like it wasn’t serious, like it didn’t matter. He
was careful to never say anything directly to her or about her in a sexist
manner. He had to know that she would bring him up on sexual harassment
charges. She had confronted Jennifer this morning and advised her to file
charges against him.
“But he’s
my friend.” Jennifer had said.
“Look, you
don’t have to be afraid of him- I will stand with you in the accusation.” She
had countered, thinking that Jennifer was near to losing what little
self-respect she had. Jennifer’s face went cold.
“I know
that you hate him, but you don’t really know him.” Jennifer placed her hands on
her hips. “He is good guy.”
“Oh
really?”
“Yes, one
of the few.”
“Few What?”
“Men in
this place.” She gestured with her hands to indicate the room. “He is kind and
complimentary and does stuff for me.”
“Oh come on
Jennifer. He is a sexist pig who delights in belittling you and you just sit
there and laugh at him.”
“Now wait
just a minute. Where did you get the idea that he belittles me?”
“I have
seen him around you and heard his snide comments.”
“You have
been spying on me?”
“No- no.”
She was stunned at the reversal of the conversation.
“How dare
you!” Jennifer’s voice raised an octave and she pointed her finger at her.
“No, that’s
not what I meant.”
“You just
hate him and me; you’re just jealous and cruel.” She was yelling.
“But- no
I-“
“Well, you
don’t know half of it and it isn’t your bees wax anyway. I will not report him
to anyone. And from now on you just stay away from me.”
“But
Jennifer I was just trying to-“
“To meddle
in my life! I am not some weak woman who needs a man to stand up for me. I
can’t help it if you can’t or won’t see him for what he’s worth!”
With that
Jennifer stormed out of the break room in tears.
She felt
like a fool for trying to do the right thing. Jennifer was stronger than she
looked. How then could she just melt in front of that man when she wouldn’t
tolerate the same from any of the other men in the company? She had heard
stories of “Jenny the butch bitch queen,” not long after she had been hired.
How come Jennifer would allow one man to put her down so thoroughly but none of
the others? If she hadn’t seen Jennifer deflect and shame other would be sexual
harassers she would figure the woman had lost her spine or was in love with the
monster.
Later, the
thought occurred to her that neither of them had even referred to him by name.
How weird was that? Maybe his name was too much, was the proof of his monstrosity?
She laughed at herself. He was a monster of the worst kind, the wolf in sheep’s
clothing kind and his name was Dan.
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