An odd situation came up the other day. An individual I work with lost some papers that were left out in a common area. She came to me first (I found out later) and asked if I had thrown them away. I didn't get the real point at first. I had a "Sometimers" moment. I thought it was terrible that someone would throw this person's papers away. Why would someone do that? Right? That's right; threw them away.
Apparently she checked the shredding box and the papers were there. My closet friend filled me in later, as she helped search for them. I didn't remember seeing them. I did however see the two reams of colored paper that had been taken from my office and used by this very same person. But did I say anything about that? No of course not. I wasn't upset, just surprised that someone had used so much of it and cleaned me out of that color. I asked who it was. When I was told I wasn't surprised that she had used it, just that she used so much.
But did I go and hunt that person down, knowing who used the paper and confront her about it? No of course not, what would be the point? The company's money paid for the colored paper, not me personally. So even though everyone thinks of it as my paper, it's not. So why would I make a big deal out of it? Why be so mean spirited as to throw her papers away. Hmmm?? Technically our offices and everything in them except our personal things are open and available to all.
Now originally I didn't take offence to that question. Although I thought at the time that it was odd to ask someone in a very accusatory manner. Later I offered to scan her papers and create a word file so that this person would have a copy. One because I felt sorry for her and two because I didn't want any more drama if they disappeared again. But I guess the papers had bar codes on them and you can't scan a copy, the scan can't read the bar code. It's always something!
Well wouldn't one think that the fact that I didn't know the papers were bar coded, should have been the first clue that I hadn't seen the papers. I realized later that perhaps this person had a guilty conscious. After all, remember she used "my" colored paper. She went to my office, had someone unlock it and took it out of my closed cabinet. I would think that's on par with papers being being dropped in the shredder. No wonder she assumed it was me.
Guilt by default no less? In turn she may have turned the situation around on me unconsciously. Everyone knows that I have to make a special trip to buy the colored paper. It's something that cuts into my work day, and I'm the only one who uses it. So no wonder everyone acts like it's my property. I store it in my office and I buy a bunch of reams so I don't have to go very often. I don't like going to get it, but no one knows that till now!
Whatever the situation, I am am proud of myself for not getting upset and bent all out of shape and accusing her right back. I'm quite pleased at the yogic, calmer side of me. Now I have to work on not writing about this stuff too! But what fun would that be?
