Sin of the Week, 7/29/07.

The worst thing I did this week stab a coworker (Bingo) in the back (metaphorically, of course). You see, later this month, I have to go into the office at Sweet Little College (yes, I do work for a college) for a two day meeting. Due to my travel schedule, I will be overseas until the moment the meeting begins. So I will have to fly to the college, get a cab to school, attend the meetings and then take another flight - but instead of back to NYC, directly to my parents' house. (I know, I know. I am getting there).

Bingo actually lives about 20 minutes from my parents, and she offered me a ride (it's a six hour drive). Since the one way plane tickets runs about $400, and because my parents (while lovely people in millions of ways) are not well enough to pick me up from the airport, I was quite grateful.

Until two days ago, when Bingo told me she is planning on calling in sick so she doesn't have to go to the meeting and spend an entire $60 on the tank of gas it would take her (poor thing!) to get there.

Dammit.

So the cost of my two days of (pointless) meetings at Sweet Little College just went from about $200 flight + $200 rental car + $200 hotel = $600... to + $400 = $1000.

That's right: two days of (pointless) meetings are going to cost me $1000 because Bingo doesn't want to spend $60.

It was (kind of) an accident, but I told my boss that I was running into some transportation issues because I had "lost my ride home" and that I was pretty well screwed unless I could pull $400 out of nowhere.*


She was then able to infer that Bingo was not coming to the meeting. I feel bad about it, but you know what? The meetings is MANDATORY and calling in sick is completely transparent - and she completely screwed me over.

I know it was wrong of me to rat her out. I know it. But I am $400 worth of pissed off and, well, maybe after I have cooled down, I can scratch up $400 worth of repentence. Stranger things have happened.



*Good life strategy - for everyone, I might add: never, ever let your boss think that you are ok for money. EVER. The sadder your stories about keeping the light bill paid and clipping coupons, the better. THIS, and not your job performance, is what your boss will think of when she hands out raises next year.