You know what they say about people who assume...

(Okay Roo, I know I said that it would be done in list form, but that will have to wait. Perhaps this will prove to be an interesting topic)

Today at lunch, I was joined by my sister (who needed money and was conveniently there to be fed as well) and a co-worker. This co-worker of mine was venting about a min-conflict she had just had with another woman in our office. The my lunchmate had volunteered to assist in some fundraising activity being done by the larger organization I am a part of, which involved going from office to office selling 50-50 tickets. The point of the fundraiser was to help clean up a much needed area of Toronto and build a playgruond for schoolchildren. Well, she sold a ticket to this woman and then let it slip that the school was Catholic. I don't know really the details that followed, but the ticket buyer was upset that she wasn't informed prior to purchasing her ticket that it was a Catholic school. Turns out that this is a very hot topic with her, and as such, she would rather not support the project. The ticket seller didn't understand why it was such a big deal...."Uhh children who need a playground? $2? Good cause?"

Anyway, the conflict was their's to deal with. However, while I was hearing this vent I heard and oft-mentioned criticism of this anti-Catholic playground co-worker. She has somehow negotiated to work only 4 days a week.

(did you all just feel the world stop turning the moment you read that?)

I don't get it...so she works 4 days a week? When I initially heard it, it came from a co-worker who doesn't seem to know whether she's happy where she works or not. I didn't put much stock into what she said. The biggest complaint I heard was, She has kids...so what? Why does that make her special? I should get that treatment too. That was of course from the people who also had kids. From the people wh didn't have kids, it was, She has kids? So what? I don't have kids, how come I can't get that treatment?

All this while I'm thinking, what if you're completely wrong?!?!?! What if it has nothing at al to do with the fact that she has children? Or what if it's a secondary reason? What if her partner is ill and she needs to be there to take them to appointments? What if SHE'S ill? It's absolutely her perogative not to tell anyone (especially since the environment I'm working in seems to enjoy passing details of individuals on at such a rapid pace). And what if it did have to do with her children and her child was sick? Would everyone feel better if the only reason she was given a 4 day work-week was because something was going badly in her life?

But besides that, what if it has nothing to do with her family life? She recently completed work on a huge project that will better the standard of living for hundred of thousands of people in this province. This was a project that took almost 3 years to complete. I'm pretty sure there was some overtime required. Perhaps the others on her time chose to be paid out for their over-time and instead she negotaited herself a 4-hour work week. Her priorities may be different. Why is it such a problem?

That brings me to my question - when did we stop giving others the benefit of the doubt? I mean, when we were younger and for some reason we weren't invited to a birthday party, didn't our parents teach us that maybe there was another reason we didn't get invited? And Oh Yes! You find out that your friend had given your invitation to another friend and both of them shared a lollipop and were out of school with strep throat. (Or something like that).

Anyway, why isn't it a good thing that she gets a 4 day work week? Good for her!



*Mental Note: Befriend her and try to negotiate my own shortened work week.