“Backstory- in the early 2000’s I worked for Overpriced CD Store. I really liked my job aside from one coworker, Karen. We just didn’t get along. I made the best of it, but she was a borderline bully. Of course she gets promoted to keyholder and proceeds to turn into a full-blown power trip bully. She made my life hell, and a job that I previously loved I couldn’t stand anymore. I made a formal complaint that made it’s way to HR, but I was done working there, which was her goal. Of course, when HR investigated my claims, they found she and the assistant manager were dating (oops! ????) and she was moved to another store since fraternizing was against policy. Apparently she didn’t like that store and quit.”
“A few months later I was happily working at Defunct Bookstore, and who gets a job at the Defunct Bookstore at another mall? Karen! Over the next few months she proceeds to do little things to annoy me, like hanging up when I would call their store for a customer, or leave me on hold forever. Of course I would get in trouble for ‘not effectively handling the customer with their needs.'”
“The Revenge- about 6 months into the job I heard through the grape vine of store gossip that Karen had been injured in a car accident. Apparently she had hurt her back and went on medical leave. She couldn’t stand for more than 10 minutes at a time without excruciating pain (this is important). She was on indefinite leave, and her store could not hire anyone to replace her while on medical leave, leaving them short handed. And I knew her manager was really annoyed after a few months.”
“Two months later a few friends of mine and I decided to go play pool. A former coworker, Rick, from the Overpriced CD Store was there.
Rick- ‘Man, too bad you weren’t here last night! It would have been a reunion! Karen and assistant manager were here playing pool!’
Me- ‘Karen was playing pool?’
Rick- ‘Oh yeah. They come in every Wednesday night!’
Me- ‘Really. That’s interesting. Every Wednesday huh? How long has this been going on?’
Rick- ‘A few months now.’
Yes, for the entire time she was on medical leave, Karen was out playing pool once a week, not at home in debilitating pain like she claimed.”
“The next day I went to her Defunct Bookstore and asked to speak to the manager. I told him all about her weekly pool sessions and encouraged him to be at the pool hall the next Wednesday night to catch her in action.
That Thursday she was fired.”
“The last time I saw her she and her friend were attempting to follow me home from work. I called the police and lead them into the police station where they told her to leave me alone or be arrested. She stayed away from me after that!”