Path crossed, again

Something happened at my workplace.

When I was going through the answers for an English paper with my kids the day before yesterday, I noticed that there was an error in the answer key.

I alerted the paper-setter. Both of us recalled that we did not dispute on the answer earlier on when we vetted the paper. The setter was sure that the newly appointed English Boss changed the answer.

She went to the English Boss and told her about the mistake, but surprisingly, the Boss took out a dictionary and showed her that 'the dictionary says so'.

I was shocked, and so was another colleague who was taking a P6 class.

The first thing I asked was,"What dictionary was she using?" because I was sure that it could not be the correct answer.

The setter said that it was the dictionary on the children's booklist.

I thought about it for a while while the other colleague googled for the answer on the internet.

Then it occurred to me that the dictionary was using the term as a noun, when the paper was using it as a verb.

We flipped another dictionary and found various permutations for the verb versus noun.

Then we got the setter to go show the Boss.

Unfortunately, yesterday, the Boss snapped at me over something else. I felt that something was amiss and I asked the setter,"Did you mention my name when you clarified the answer with her yesterday?"

True enough, the setter said,"Yes."

So I stepped on her tail again - the same person who tried to get me in trouble last year.

The heads had been kind enough to change me to another department and level where I wouldn't need to cross path with her. They even change the paper I set to another subject so that I totally don't need to be in contact with her. All along, I have been in the same department and setting papers for the same subject. But because she had asked to become the new English Boss, the Science Boss had requested for me to be placed in his department and the Second Chief-in-command had done me the favour of putting me there (although I am not too sure whether this was really the reason they did it since the Science department needs more hands). It was pretty obvious to many that she was out to get me and my situation would be precarious if I were under her.

Now, although it was a mistake on her part, for the character that she is, I am sure she will not take it lying down. For all the insecurities that she has, I am sure she will lash out at any chance of getting me, when all I wanted to do was to put things right.

I am sure she would see this as an embarrassment and a threat to her position, for the insecure person that she is, when I do not have the intention of doing just that. Everybody makes mistakes and it just happens that she has not read enough such that her standard could match up to that position, although ironically enough, she makes silent reading mandatory every morning and insists that the libraries in the classrooms are set up.

None of us who discussed the answer has the intention of dethroning her or putting her at a precarious position. We are NOT interested in that position, the least being me. I just want to get a passable grade and do my work well, and of course, exceed the standard of being an elementary language teacher. Just matching it won't do.

I don't see why there is a need to take everything so personally.

I shared my life story with her in that toilet where I broke down. I saw her as a counsellor, a mentor.

My foot!

The next moment I knew, she turned around and attacked me during the appraisal for something deem trivial in just about everybody's eyes.

I think that's scary. I shouldn't have trusted her. A pity I did.